Keep Holding On
by PrincessH
Summary: .:.All Chapters Revised.:..:.New Extended & Deleted Scenes.:.Guy, Charlie, Connie, Julie, Adam, Averman, Portman, Tammy, Linda and Fulton experience love, loss, betrayal, death, births and that no matter what, your friends will always be there. PLZ NO FLAMES CG, TF, SJAd, OCPOCAv, CL R
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mighty Ducks or have any affiliation with them. This story is intended for entertainment purposes only. I own the plot and the original characters. Enjoy;)**

The streets of Minneapolis were deserted in the morning twilight of an early April day. The air was crisp with the unshed rain that urned to be released and the silence of the night remained with the exception of the small clicking of the city rats collecting their morning meal from the trash cans left on the curb. The sun was shining unto the tall apartment complex that sat on the right side of the street and into the open window on the third floor. A mess of blonde curly hair covered the face of the occupant of the small twin size bed and he rolled away from the sun, seeking the darkness of the covers. A small sigh and he was back to the slumber he had been so enjoying. The digital clock on the night stand read 5:59 am and then clicked over to read 6 am with a tick. The room was silent only for a moment before a small drum line began from the room next door and continued to increase until an electric guitar was brought into the mix and a very loud base waking Guy Germaine from his sleep. He sat straight up in bed with a look of freight in his eyes before he looked around and moaned softly, pushing his mess of curls back out of his face.

"Damn Portman..." He groaned; banging with his fist on the wall. The music persisted and Guy threw the covers off himself, moving towards the door with a determination. The hall was already occupied by his other three roommates, currently banging on the door of the room next door with the same anger.

"Damn, Portman! I don't have to be to work until nine. Just because you want to get up doesn't mean all of us should have to!" Charlie Conway yelled over the music as the door was silent. He was probably sleeping through his own music again. The last time he did this, Fulton had to climb out his window and jump to the next fire escape to get in Dean's open window. Guy didn't even bother to put himself into the fight and crossed the hall to the empty bathroom before anyone else even had that idea.

"Come on, Portman!" Fulton yelled kneeling down in front of the door to peek into the keyhole; just as they expected; he was still dead to the world. One arm was hanging off the side of the bed and his head hung off the pillow, a line of drool forming from his open mouth.

"He's still sleeping!" Fulton exclaimed, punching the door in frustration.

"Well, look at the bright side! We're all up, I'll make breakfast!" Averman joked, smiling brightly. Charlie pushed passed him to head for the bathroom and jiggled the handle in frustration.

"Damn! I should really start looking for my own place!" He groaned as Guy emerged from the bathroom, looking up at Charlie before rolling his eyes at his annoying roommate. He headed back into his room to get fifteen minutes more sleep if he could before he had to get ready to go to work.

"Now, why would you want to do that... miss all this fun?" Averman seemed confused before shrugging and moving into the living room. Leaving the door to his room open, Guy collapsed on the bed, letting all the air leave his lungs.

"Come on, Portman!"

"Fulton, would you give it a rest! He's not going to wake up!" Guy groaned, staring at the blank ceiling for what felt like 6 seconds before his own alarm went off letting him know it was fifteen after six and he needed to get up or he'd be late for his morning job.

"You have to get up, but I work at night so I should be sleeping!" Fulton yelled, returning to his room and slamming the door behind him, in the process knocking all the pictures that were hung on the outside of his door to the floor. Turning his head, Guy looked into the hall again, Averman was back and pretending to sing to Dean's music, throwing his hands in the air in a crazy fashion and using Guy's hockey stick as a microphone. Charlie opened the bathroom door behind him and stared at Guy for a minute before shaking his head in disbelief and returning to his own room, slamming the door behind him as well. Guy let his head fall back to the bed before moving to the sitting position to shut off his alarm, not that it made much difference due to the deafening noise flowing from the room next door. The neighbors would be calling the cops in 2.3 seconds if they didn't get that music shut off. Guy stood to stretch and the music suddenly stopped. The apartment was silent until the opening of doors filled the air.

"Finally! Portman, we got to talk!" Fulton's voice filled the hallway as Averman returned to the hall with a bowl of cereal from the kitchen and repeated everything Fulton said in between bites of cereal. Charlie just stood back waiting for his turn to yell at Portman. Guy threw on a clean shirt and some jeans, not even bothering to look at the scene in the hall before he opened the apartment door and closed it with a bang, to let them know he was leaving.

The stairs creak on his way down, Guy moving fast to avoid any of the neighbors from ambushing him in the hallway to threaten him with the police. No thanks, he didn't need that today. He was almost to the first set of stairs when old lady Johnson peeked her head out her first floor door and commenced in her morning routine,

"Boy, if you kids don't cut that noise out and stop waking me up at 6 am every morning...I'm going to called the cops..." Guy rushed passed her, trying not to listen to her ranting, which in turn infuriated her more,

"Are you listening to me? I'm going to speak to the landlord about this! God damn kids!" She seemed to finish and slammed her door, causing the wall to shake just as Guy stepped off the last step and out the front door.

They had all thought it was going to be a good idea. Sure, share the rent, live with people you know and trust; there'd never be any problems with clashes of personality. No one ever thought what could happen until it did. Guy mounted his bike out front of the apartment complex, his thoughts the only thing to occupy his mind as his rode down North Ave. It had started out great, found a decent apartment in a decent part of town, 6 of them to share the rent, 6 bedrooms so they wouldn't be falling all over each other. True, finding a six bedroom apartment was rarity; but they hesitated in taking it, because the rooms were small. It was like they had the whole third floor to themselves, in reality it was only half of the third floor but they got use to it. Life was great, until reality finally hit them. Charlie couldn't handle Dean's constant parade of women in and out of the apartment and his disgusting daily habits, Averman's practical jokes were causing Fulton some serious stress to the point where he exited the apartment down the fire escape every morning to avoid them and Banks, the original sixth roommate was becoming too good at following in his Father's footsteps to live like a college boy anymore. The day things really changed was the day Adam moved out. Things just hadn't been the same since. Guy sighed again, rubbing at his eyes once more before turning into the parking lot of the local post office. No, he wasn't a mail man, he just cleaned the floors. It sucked but it was job, at least until he could get drafted to a hockey team again. The back door was unlocked and he entered, slowly putting his back pack down and pulling out his cleaning supplies. Today was going to be a long day.

"Hey Guys! Guess who's going to be in town!" Averman exclaimed from his seat at the small kitchen table.

"Who?" Dean Portman asked, reaching into the refrigerator and retrieving the milk to take a gulp.

"Cups were invented for a reason!" Charlie's voice wafted into the kitchen as Dean softly cursed to himself before Charlie came into the room, dressed in a shirt and tie.

"Okay, Mom..." Portman mocked at Charlie, who ignored him.

"Oh, big day?" Averman asked smiling a big toothy grin.

"Every day is a big day..." Charlie said, finishing up adjusting his tie.

"Dude, Averman...who were you saying was coming into town?" Portman asked confusion marked on his face as he struggled to find a clean cup.

"Oh, Tammy Duncan..." Averman announced before Charlie and Dean fell silent. They waited for the door to the last roommate's room to open, _he was definitely listening_, Dean thought with a chuckle.

"3, 2, 1..." Charlie counted softly until there was a creak in the floor boards and Fulton's door opened down the hall. Everyone turned to look at him as he entered,

"What?" He asked self-consciously, moving towards the fruit bowl and grabbing an apple before seating himself at the table to eat it.

"Dude, you know what...How come you didn't tell us the ice princess was coming back to town..."

"Because I didn't know until yesterday's meeting. I'm scheduled for security that night." The cat calls began almost instantly. Fulton had gotten a job at the local arena helping with events and running security. He got them into a few sold out shows and even got to meet a few big names.

"You're going to finally ask her out?" Charlie asked, starting a pot of coffee. Fulton's face flushed a little,

"She probably won't even remember me. I mean, none of us have seen her since peewee hockey." Fulton tried to reason, the nervousness showing on his face.

"If I'm not mistaking, I believe I saw "Figure Skating Weekly" on the coffee table last night..." Averman cut in.

"Yeah, and I thought I heard the Olympics on in your room a couple of weeks ago... Wasn't she at the Olympics?" Dean asked over Averman. Charlie just shrugged,

"Yeah, she won a gold medal..." Fulton cut in as everyone just smiled to themselves.

"Admit it; you still got it bad for her..." Charlie taunted leaning against the counter where his coffee was brewing

"Look, guys. I'm not going to get my hopes up again. Besides what would a girl like that want with a guy like me? I have nothing to offer her. I'm going back to sleep so I'm not falling asleep tonight at the Disney Ice show..." Fulton shook his head and headed back down the hall, shutting his door with a click.

"Man, he's got to get laid..." Portman shrugged, cutting in front of Charlie at the coffee pot and stuffing a bagel in his mouth before returning to his own room.

"Charlie? Why does Dean get up this early anyway? He doesn't work..." Averman asked as Charlie laughed softly under his breath.

"I think he does it just to annoy us..." Charlie said finishing his coffee quickly and checking his hair in the mirror, "I'm out of here!" He yelled going out the front door, leaving Averman to finish reading the news paper before he had to go to work at the diner. Averman folded the paper and stood to leave the table when the door bell rang.

"Charlie, did you forget your keys again?" Averman asked, a smile playing on his lips as he reached the door. He pulled back the door to find a pair of bare legs, followed by a short blue skirt and white tank top, covered by a matching sweater, leading his eyes to the person's face. Ashlee Banks stood in the doorway, staring back at Averman, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"If you're looking for your brother, he moved out three months ago..." _Great_, Averman thought in his head, _great first line to the most beautiful girl in the world_. Lucky for him, she laughed slightly and braced her hand against the doorway to keep herself steady.

"How long you been working on that?" Ashlee asked, pushing her dark blonde hair back from her dark blue eyes. Averman smiled nervously and shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"It really came out of nowhere..." She laughed again setting her eyes sparkling in the midmorning light. _God, she really was beautiful_ his mind kept saying over and over again in his head.

"That's cool. Well, I came by to see Dean, is he here?" She asked a slight nervousness in her voice. Averman's heart sank like it did every time this woman showed up at the door and asked for Dean Portman. He slowly nodded and backed up to let her into the apartment.

"You know where his room is...I got to get to work..." She smiled brightly at him, giving him a nod and walked passed him towards Dean's bedroom, knocking softly before entering. It was the same story every time. Les Averman never got the girl. Guys like Dean and Charlie could have any girl they wanted but Les only wanted one. The problem was; she didn't even know he existed. Ashlee Banks, kid sister to Adam, had met Dean when Adam was still living with them and they had had an instant attraction, which then turned into them sneaking around behind Adam's back. This unique relationship didn't go over big when Adam finally caught them in Dean's bedroom one Saturday morning. But Dean could never commit to one girl and that's what Adam tried to explain to Ashlee but she wouldn't listen. She still had no idea how many other girls shared Dean's bed at night, and she probably never would. Averman had thought about breaking the word he gave to Dean about keeping his secret and telling Ashlee the whole thing but in the end Les couldn't bear to tell Ashlee and watch her reaction, knowing he caused it. Eventually the truth would come out, as it always does and Averman still wouldn't get the girl but he wouldn't be the one to break her heart. He closed the apartment door with one last look at Portman's door. Man, what he wouldn't give to be Dean Portman.

Connie Moreau's life was nothing like she imagined it would be when she was handed her diploma from Eden Hall Academy. Stepping into the second floor apartment she had decided to lease, she sighed heavily before dropping her only suitcase to the floor in the middle of the empty living room. The old wooden floor creaked with the bang her suitcase made but otherwise the apartment remained silent. She looked around with helpless eyes. _How the hell did she get herself into this?_ _She had been fine with the little apartment above the club but, no, nothing could ever work out for her._ Her life had been the same since high school, jumping from boyfriend to boyfriend and taking whatever she could get, from whoever would give it to her. She hadn't meant for her life to change into this but she had nowhere to go out of high school, her Mother basically kicked her out on the street with no money and no hope for the future. Her Grandparents were supportive but they hardly had enough money to feed themselves, she couldn't depend on them. All her friends went to college or got good jobs, she was the odd man out in this situation. She couldn't afford college on her own and she couldn't let her friends see what she'd become. She was 19 and in the roughest spot of her life when she met Marc. Marc owned a club in the downtown area of Minneapolis, which wasn't the most respected club in the town considering he employed exotic dancers and sold sex worse than Hue Hefner but he gave her a job. For the first time in her life she felt wanted, she felt like she could be somebody. Going out on the stage for the first time, Connie never thought her stomach could be so tight but Marc was there, watching her and telling her she was doing well. He was her rock when she had no one else and she found herself drawn to him. After that she started to get more comfortable, getting bigger tips and even getting some club regulars. Life was good until Marc started to lose interest in her. She tried dressing differently, hanging out with his group of friends more, even though they were vile pigs, doing whatever they were doing to get an in but nothing ever worked. She got so messed up the one night; she couldn't remember what had happened. That night still haunted her with the idea that she could have slept with someone, or done something she would regret later. She found herself feeling like she was being lowered into a deep dark hole until Marc's best friend; Jake offered to get her out of her current situation, an apartment in exchange for her to go work for him at his club. She agreed and moved out of Marc's apartment the next day. _Everything would be okay_; she was on her own now with no one to watch over her. _She didn't need anyone anyway. All she needed was herself._

A few soft pangs on the tin roof told Julie Gaffney that the rain that had been brewing all day had finally started. Her face was worn from the tears she had been shedding all morning. How did the valedictorian of her class, straight A student, star hockey goalie, end up doing the stupidest thing in her life? She had trusted Scooter; she had trusted that he loved her enough, that he wanted to marry her someday and that they would have the perfect little life no matter what came along. How could he betray her, how could he turn on her without a second thought? He had been her first official boyfriend. He had been her first lover and what she thought was her soul mate. How could she have been so wrong? She began to cry again and pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her head on them. _She never cried, she was Julie Gaffney, she didn't get emotional, she was strong, she was independent_ but right now she felt like the weakest person in the world. She knew exactly what her parents would say about this, they would say she was a _stupid little girl with stupid ideas about life and that she'd learn someday but they weren't going to help her now._ She had nowhere to go but here and just as her luck had been all morning, no one was home. The stairs creaked slightly and she looked up. Her eyes were brimming with tears; he could tell she'd been crying.

"What happened?" Fulton Reed asked, returning from his morning routine, go down to the coffee shop have a cup of coffee and sit and read the newspaper while Portman got the apartment to himself with Ashlee Banks. Julie couldn't move her mouth to speak and Fulton suddenly knew what happened, seeing her suitcase propped up against her hip.

"You told him?" He asked coming to kneel in front of her. She nodded slightly before the tears started again. Fulton sighed, gathering her to him and helping her from the floor.

"Come on, we'll talk." He whispered, opening the door to lead her in.


	2. Chapter 2

The rain hit the large picture window pane with a plop and slid down to the sill, Julie Gaffney watched every drop from her seat on the couch with tired eyes. The storm was intensifying the way her emotions were. The reflection to the right of her eye line painted a picture of Dean Portman and Fulton Reed pacing back and forth across the room in contemplation of their next move. Dean stopped mid stride and looked at Fulton, a look of realization masking his anger.

"What if we go over there tonight when he's sleeping?" Dean mused, a small smile threatening to form of his pale pink lips. Fulton shook his head, no. They were bash brothers not hit men.

"We can't do anything directly. We need someone that can't be linked to us." Dean nodded in agreement, Fulton always was the brains of the operation. His eyes looked up at the sudden movement across the room. The old floor creaked under the pressure of the petite feet of Ashlee Banks. She looked from each occupant to the next and joined them in the living room, curling up in the oversized chair next to Julie. Dean studied her for a moment. If he could only be faithful to her, he'd be the luckiest guy in the world. There she was, the most beautiful girl he'd ever had the privilege of laying his eyes on, clad in a pair of his shorts and one of his old t-shirts. She was a goddess and she was all his, if only he wanted just her.

"What's going on?" She questioned, wrapping an arm around her knees. Dean was knocked from his thoughts and ran a hand through his mess of tousled brown hair.

"We're going to kill Scooter." Dean said matter-of-factly, starting a new pace back and forth opposite of Fulton's long strides. Ashlee nodded, looking over at Julie with wondering eyes. She didn't even look like she was alive; she sat against the back of the couch, one arm resting in her lap the other slung over the back to provide her with posture as she stared behind her out the window. She didn't move, in fact, she didn't even blink from where Ashlee was sitting.

"What happened?" She finally asked turning back to Dean and Fulton. They both stopped and looked at Julie. She seemed to notice and turned back towards the center of the room.

"I'm pregnant." She whispered; a small tremble still left in her voice from crying all morning. Ashlee's mouth formed into an o shape and she sat quietly waiting for someone to respond. Since she wasn't really close with any of her brother's friends beside Dean, she felt it wasn't her place to push the matter any further.

"That's not everything! He also kicked you out!" Dean practically yelled, throwing his hands up in the air like a crazed monkey.

"He didn't kick me out, I left." Julie sighed, returning her gaze to the window. She didn't want to deal with this now; she couldn't deal with this now. Her memories were filled with thoughts of that morning, the soft ping of falling water echoing in her mind as she remembered. She had gotten up early, a small humming in her mind that this was going to be the morning that changed her life forever. She got dressed, had an incident with morning sickness but still managed to make breakfast before he woke up. She would bring him breakfast in bed and tell him her good news and then they'd be one big happy family. Things didn't exactly go as planned, Julie thought coming back into the conversation Fulton and Dean were having,

"What if I talked to some people down at the club, you know, someone we don't know?" Dean pondered.

"No, we're not going to do anything." Julie's small voice cut in. Her hands, clasped firmly together to give her the strength she so desired, she cleared her throat. "We're not going to do anything because he's going to change his mind. Everything is going to work out. He's going to see that this is his baby too and that he can't just abandon us like we never existed." Her voice sounded sure but her mind told her she was being foolish. The image of Scooter's eyes that morning filled her mind. How disappointed he was. How he saw his whole life just dissolve with her two little words. She knew he didn't want this baby and she wasn't going to force him, she wasn't going to make him hate her and the baby in the process. She was on her own and that was fine, she could deal with that but what she couldn't deal with was the fact that he didn't even care she left. He'd watched her pack a bag in her rush to get out of his eye sight and not once did he stop her or tell her they would work it out. He sat stone-faced as he had been when she told him the news and watched her walk out of their apartment. Dean sighed heavily behind her and looked as if he could punch something,

"Julie, he's dirt. He doesn't deserve you. If he even tries to come in here, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands." Dean said, "He's a fucking varsity asshole for fucks sake." Dean yelled retreating to his room. Ashlee looked at Fulton and then at Julie before jumping to her feet to patter after Dean down the hall before he slammed the door in her face. Fulton was left staring at the broken Julie with worry plaguing his eyes. Julie could feel his eyes staring at her and she turned, wiping away a few stray tears that had involuntarily fallen from her eyes.

"I'm fine. I'll be fine." She promised. She wasn't going to cry anymore, she wouldn't let this be the end of her. She had friends, she had people that cared about her and she had another life that she had to start thinking about besides her own.

"Fulton, I hate to ask more of you guys…" She whispered, looking down at her hands. Fulton came to sit next to her, unsure of how he could make her feel any better.

"But, I need a place to stay. I can't go home." Julie's eyes told him she was desperate and he nodded,

"You can have Adam's old room; some of his stuff is still in there but…" Her chest tightened, and she felt a pang of worry slip into her mind. Adam Banks, star player... She hadn't seen him in years.

"Are you sure the other guys won't mind. I don't want to be a problem for anyone." Fulton shook his head no. She had practically lived with them plenty of times before. During high school everyone did everything together, it would just be like one big sleep over again, like the old days.

"When have you known Charlie, Guy or Averman to turn out a friend? Besides, this place could use a girl." Fulton laughed a little, trying to clean up the beer cans from the coffee table and the chips that were spilled over the mess of garbage that lay on the lamp stand next to him. She smiled for the first time that morning and stood to take her bag into Adam's old room.

"Thanks Fulton. You're the best brother any girl could have." She placed a soft kiss on his cheek and moved passed him towards the hall. He sat there for a few minutes more before standing and heading to the kitchen. He stood at the window for a few minutes before glancing down at the table next to him where Averman had discarded the morning paper. It was still open to the entertainment page and the Stars on Ice show. The headline read, "Olympic Gold Medalist, Tammy Duncan" and he felt his heart ache. Maybe he was just holding on to a childhood crush but he had to know for sure. Would she even remember him, would she care that he had spent the last 10 years thinking about her and where she was and what she was doing? Not a day went by that she didn't cross his mind. He hadn't seen her since that last day of 8th grade, right before they left for the Junior Goodwill Games. Tossing down the paper, he grabbed a quick can of soda from the fridge and headed to his bedroom for a quick nap before he had to go to work. _Just three more days and he'd finally be over Tammy Duncan._

Guy Germaine slumped up the stairs, his legs too tired to fully extend. His first job that morning had been rough, nothing was going well, he hadn't slept and he wasn't done yet. He still had to make it through his afternoon shift at the diner. Averman would be leaving from his morning shift just as Guy was getting there for the evening and it was up to him to close the diner that night. _He had to stay awake_, he thought. He made it to the second floor landing, feeling the lack of sleep consuming his body before he heard an argument going on from the apartment down the hall. Craning his neck around the corner, he saw a man yelling at a small brunette and throwing his hands in the air in an intimating fashion. The man was probably in his late twenties, brown hair and looked like a business man. He was dressed in slacks with a dress shirt that was buttoned up except the last two buttons at the top, revealing a patch of chest hair Guy knew he never quite formed. He absently looked down at his own chest before turning more to look at the arguing couple. _They must be new to the building_, he thought.

"How dare you turn your back on me? I gave you everything when you had nothing. No one would even know who you were if it wasn't for me! I made you!" He spat as she tried to defend herself but she couldn't even speak to get a word in before he slapped her across the face with a resounding smack. Connie felt the blood rush to the spot where she'd been struck and she grasped at the skin. Guy had seen enough. His Father had taught him that much before leaving him and his mother, that you never hit a lady, even if she was asking for it.

"Hey! I'm sure whatever's going on you don't need to do that." Guy yelled coming into the conversation and standing toe to toe with the man.

"Why don't you mind your own business, kid?" The man said with a thick Brooklyn accent. _Kid?_ Guy thought, a few come backs coming to mind. _Who did this jerk think he was?_

"Because I could just as easily call the cops on your ass but I'm giving you a chance to walk away." Guy said not backing down one bit. The man looked to the side at the girl,

"This isn't over, Connie. You'll regret double crossing me." The man said moving away towards the stairs. Guy sighed once the man was out of sight and turned to the girl. He was glad he hadn't had to fight; he was too tired to even throw a punch.

"What was that about?" He asked, more to himself than anyone else before turning to be face to face with only girl who had even had his heart. She was there, standing right in front of him, just a few inches away. Connie Moreau looked up at him, eyes darkened with plenty of make-up and tear stains running down her soft complexion. She hadn't wanted him to see her like this. Her cheek was already beginning to swell and she'd have to check to make sure she still had all her teeth.

"Connie?" He asked, now really confused at the situation. She nodded a little, trying her best to remove the make-up from her face. She had recognized his voice before she even saw him coming around the corner of the old hallway. She had memorized the way his mouth moved when he talked. She could remember everything about him from his scent to the way he used to rub his hand along the small of her back to show her he was there to protect her. She looked up at him now, a grown man with a next day scruffy shave but the same curly blonde locks she had run her fingers through so many times.

"I had no idea you lived here..." She tried to keep the conversation light, her cheek still stinging from where Marc had slapped her. She guessed, she had deserved it, she did after all run out in the middle of the night with his best friend without so much as a word.

"Yeah, a bunch of us live here, we have the third floor. What was that all about?" He asked her again as the smile left her face. He looked to make sure the guy was gone. She hesitated, he would look at her different if she told him what was really going on in her life. That she was a dancer, showing her body to other men every night to pay for the small apartment she now rented and to keep what little food she could in her refrigerator. The bulk of her money went to a greater cause. No one cared if she had a high school diploma, no decent job at least that could pay for her to live on her own and support her cause. You had to have a college degree if you wanted to go anywhere in this world.

"He's my former boss. He's a little angry that I quit." She told him half the truth, hell, she hadn't seen this man in almost 5 years, and it wasn't the time to be telling him of her shady lifestyle. He smiled down at her, a small tinkle in his eyes, the same one he used to give her when he told her he loved her.

"It's been a while." Obviously he'd shared her thought.

"Yeah, I missed you." She whispered as a smile playing on his lips. What he wouldn't do to be able to be with her again. She probably had a boyfriend though, no girl like Connie stayed single for long. He could contest to that the month they broke up in freshmen year and all the dates she got asked on. He glanced down at her hand, _no ring, that was a good sign_. His mind caught back up with his body and he looked away at the sunlight pouring in the hall window, _the rain had finally broken_, he thought. He smiled, not only at the new found weather but at a memory that passed through his mind of the last time he had seen this girl.

"The last time I saw you was graduation night. " Her face turned a little red and she smiled nervously. She was no virgin but thinking about making love to him always caused her face to heat up.

"We had fun that night." She laughed recalling the same memory. They had decided that night that it was best they try life without the other one but not before they had spent the night together one last time. It wasn't the first time they had made love but in was so much more special to both of them because they knew the next day they would say goodbye for what could be forever. Connie's mind wondered if her life would have been different if she had told him no, they couldn't break up, she needed him too much. She needed the security that only he could provide. Of course her life would have been better but then they might have hated each other. Guy might not have finished school or he might not have gotten the hockey scholarship he enjoyed through college. They would be barely getting by on what they could earn working three jobs and just making it to the end of the month. Her job may not have been classy but she made good money. She couldn't waste time trying to think how things could have been but how they were now. She looked up at him and smiled again, this was the most she'd smiled in 5 years.

"Maybe we could get together sometime. You know have dinner or something." She asked, hoping against hope he'd say yes. He looked down at his feet; he was going to say no. Her face lost its smile and she nodded as he responded.

"Sure. Why don't you stop up to my apartment on Friday, everyone else will be gone." Connie's expression changed and she smiled brighter than she had.

"Yeah, I will." She said, giving him a little wave and retreating back into her apartment. He smiled at her before her door shut and he sighed heavy. He was still in love with her, but was she in love with him?

Julie stood in the doorway of the room she would be calling home for the next few weeks, a tight feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was probably just morning sickness; she told herself, quickly entering the room and closing the door behind her. She needed to be alone with her thoughts right now but she wasn't positive this room would help. The room was painted blue with a green bedspread, screaming that it was guy's room. She could smell the faint scent of Adam Banks in the linens and around the room. A soft musky smell of sweat and tide laundry detergent, mixed in with another smell, she could only assume to be his choice of cologne. His old hockey gear still sat in the closet as she opened in to deposit her bag for the moment until she felt ready to unpack it. Julie had to remind herself, she was just barrowing the room and that she wasn't going to be changing anything. It screamed for a little bit of a girl's touch. Just as she gingerly sat down on the bed, there was a knock on the door and it opened with a click. Guy stood in the doorway, a smile on his face,

"Hey Jules." She tried to smile, the corner of her mouth turning up just a little bit. "How you doing?" He asked moving the strap of his back pack up on his shoulder again. She looked around the room one more time,

"I don't know, it's still all so….weird." She pulled her knees up on the bed and to her chest, hugging them against her. Guy nodded a bit, coming in to sit next to her on the bed. They had never really been close until their junior year in high school; it was like he was the kid brother she'd never had.

"You know who I ran into downstairs?" He asked, still feeling that same weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. She shook her head, no, looking to him to continue.

"Connie, she's living downstairs." Julie's eyes widened a little bit,

"I thought we'd never seen her again, I mean, her Mom kicking her out the way she did…"

"Wait, what?" Guy asked unaware of the events in Connie's life after they had decided to go their separate ways. Julie hesitated, maybe he wasn't supposed to know that. Connie had told her in confidence on a midnight phone call almost 4 years ago. She bit her lips before continuing.

"Connie moved out the day after graduation, I thought she would have been to California or New York by now. She never told you?" Guy's eyes wondered the blue wall for a moment in contemplation, trying to piece what little information he had of Connie's life since that last night but he couldn't get a clear picture, some things were still missing.

"No, we really didn't talk after graduation." He said getting up to head from the room, "Julie, look, you can stay as long as you want. " His mind was distracted with thoughts on where Connie had been and now what that man had to do with the missing time. "I got to do something..." Guy trailed off. Julie sensed this distraction and hoped that she hadn't let something out that she shouldn't have, the last thing she needed right now was to cause an explosion of tempers in this place too.

"Okay, thanks." She hadn't even got the words out of her mouth before he shut the door. God, could people get any weirder around here?

Ashlee Banks lead the way to the door, her hand laced tightly with Portman's.

"So you'll call me later?" She asked her eyes looking up at him hopefully. He shrugged a little,

"If I get a chance, you know, busy." He said nonchalantly. She nodded in understanding, opening the door with her left hand as her right followed his arm up to his shoulder and then his neck, pulling his lips to crash down on hers.

"Can you not do that in the doorway?" A familiar voice sounded from the hallway. Dean's eyes opened and his lips moved to the side, an annoyed look already appearing on his finely defined face.

"I can kiss my girlfriend anywhere I want to. I can't help when visitors come over." Dean mocked; putting certain italic on visitor. Adam Banks entered through the door behind his sister and looked around the apartment with a slightly, I'm better than you attitude. Ashlee sighed, a hint of annoyance beginning to form in her voice,

"Adam, what are you doing here?" He looked at her with a surprised look,

"I still have some of my stuff here, I came to get something." He seemed to be surprised she was asking him.

"And to check up on me…" Ashlee finished his sentence. Adam took in a breath but didn't let it out.

"I suppose nothing I could say would matter to you anyway." He sighed. Ashlee didn't respond, instead she looked back at Dean,

"I got to get to my afternoon classes, if I don't hear from you tonight; I'll stop by later in the week."

"Okay..." Dean smiled a little. Ashlee stopped to look back at Adam once, glaring at him before she stepped out into the hall and started down the old stairs. Dean and Adam watched her go before looking back at each other. Adam let the breath out he was holding and pushed passed Dean towards his old room with a shoulder block.

"Hey, Adam!" Dean tried to talk to him but he ignored him and swung open his old room's door, barging in and slamming the door behind him before noticing Julie standing in the corner, shirt pressed against her bare chest and staring back at Adam with a state of shock on her face.

"Oh, god, Julie! What are you doing here?" He asked turning around and facing the door as she quickly put her shirt on, she though the guys would knock before storming in on her. This was an unexpected visit.

"I'm sorry. I…I'm staying here for a few days….I'll leave." Julie said going to pass him and retreat into the hall and the nearest dark hole of embarrassment she could find. _Way to run into him after 3 years_, she thought, quickly throwing on her shirt.

"No, I…." He caught her arm in his hand before she could open the door and turned her towards him, "I'm sorry, I didn't think anyone was in here." She looked up at him in the intimate stance in which they had found themselves. If she was being honest with herself there had been times she'd dreamed he'd pull her close the way he was now but Adam seemed always interested in the well dressed, manicured girls in school, Not his best friend, the goalie.

"I thought you were living with Scooter?" Adam asked, his eyes wondering to hers. Julie didn't say anything but moved out of his reach to avoid further contact.

"I was but we're… we're going through something right now. He needed some time alone and I needed a place to stay. It's fine if… if you don't want me staying in your room, it was just the only room here that isn't occupied…but obviously it is now..." Her eyes turned down as Adam silently wondered what the hell was going on around here. Everything had changed since the last time he was here.

"No, No…I just came to get something….You can stay here…I mean, in my room. I'll just get what I need and be out of your hair." He said grabbing something out of one of the drawers in the closet before heading for the door. _What if this was his big chance to finally tell her how he felt_, he thought, stopping before he could reach for the door handle and turning back to her,

"I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean to. It's just Dean and Ashlee.. I know he's going to hurt her and she won't listen to me. Thinks I'm just taking my big brother act too seriously." Julie slowly sat down on the end of the bed to listen to him.

"You look like you could use someone to talk to, cake-eater." She tried to joke to lighten the mood but it felt forced. He sighed, gripping the door handle and not looking at her.

"No, I don't really want to talk about it but I do feel like a cup of coffee. You want to come?" He asked. She smirked as much as she could, and took his hand that he reached out to her.

"Sure, a warm cup of hot chocolate sounds good right now."


	3. Chapter 3

The diner was crowded that afternoon; when Guy rode up front on his bike to start his shift. He locked his bike up with a hard metal padlock and slung his bag over his right shoulder before walking into the steamy restaurant, a cloud of heat escaping through the door. It was packed, Guy realized once he stumbled in the door, trying not to run over the group of old ladies leaving in a hurry. Averman stood behind the order window, looking like he was going to have a nervous breakdown any minute now. His hair was pulled back into a hair net, the sweat pouring down his forehead faster than he could wipe it away. At that very moment, he was flipping a burger on the grill and dropping some fries into the grease. Guy should have been used to the mid day rush. Just about every day they got slammed about this time. Averman flipped a couple of burgers and slammed them into buns while he dropped another net of fries into the fryer behind him and wiped his brow with his forearm. Guy looked towards the staff room and tried to plan a route around the business men waiting to be seated and the nuns in the corner booth. He maneuvered around the stressed out waitresses with they're over loaded trays and spotted Casey Conway, taking an order from some ladies dressed for a work out. She smiled cheerfully as he passed and continued to chat politely with her customers.

"Where have you been?" Averman asked, grabbing the newly crispy fried from the vat of grease and dumping them into the cooling tray. Guy shrugged,

"Home, my shift doesn't start for 5 minutes." Averman looked at him confused and then nodded, returning to his job of flipping the burgers sizzling on the grill.

"Look, I'm a little behind." He motioned as Guy threw his hair up in a net and wrapped his apron around his waist before grabbing the order ring and flipping to the next order to start filling it.

"I bet I can done two orders before you finish that one." Guy joked, Averman was not having it, not even responding to the challenge.

"Wait, so tell me about your older brother. There must be someone normal in your family." Julie Gaffneyasked with a chuckle. She hadn't laughed this much in months. She smiled brightly at the occupant of the seat across from her. Coffee had turned into a late lunch at the local corner coffee shop. Adam laughed to himself and glanced out the window, trying to think of how to describe his older brother.

"Jacob is every Mother's dream for their oldest. He's perfect. Steady job, beautiful apartment, great girlfriends. At least the ones he brings home. He has it all." Adam looked less than thrilled to actually admit this fact to anyone other than himself. Julie nodded understandingly and reached her hand across the table to grasp his. He let his lip curl up into a small grin.

"My parents are the same way. Nothing I do can ever live up to my older sister. She's perfect, too. She's got the house, the great job, the steady guy, who will ask her to marry him any day now. I've got….nothing at the moment." Julie felt her eyes get teary and turned her eyes away from Adam fast looking down at her still flat stomach. She did have her baby to think about but she wasn't ready to tell Adam that. Maybe she could pretend for a few minutes that things were still normal. He had heard the break in her voice, even if he was turned away from her. She wasn't going to cry, she'd done enough of that and this was supposed to be an enjoyable lunch catching up with a friend.

"Julie, if he needed sometime to himself, he obviously doesn't appreciate what he had with you. You deserve so much better." He stressed. Her face flushed of color and she felt a slight feeling of de ja vu. She needed them to understand how much Scooter meant to her, even they all hated him.

"Why does everybody keep telling me that, can't you all just see that we were meant to be together. We…I need him right now and where is he?" She didn't care anymore who stared at her, even though the whole café had stopped to look at them. She pushed her plate across the table before she broke down into quiet sobs, throwing her head in her hands. "He's being the selfish idiot he always is! " She cried into her sleeve. She shouldn't have expected any less from the guy that always took the window seat on the plane. Adam quickly threw down the money for the check and moved to the opposite side of the table, moving her over in the booth to try to comfort her. He placed a reassuring hand on her back, rubbing circles to try to sooth her. She knocked his hand off and tried to stand but he blocked her way. See she wanted to leave, he stood and went to reach for her and help her out of the booth they had been occupying but she pushed his hand away,

"I don't need your help…." She felt suddenly stronger than she had a few moments before and she pushed passed him and out the door. "I don't need anyone's help." She mumbled to herself.

Connie was stepping out of her apartment to get to work when she heard the loud bang of the door on the main floor and then the stomping of feet coming up the stairs. She locked her door, giving it a good tug before being confident that it was secure and headed towards the stairs. She was met by a tired looking Julie, her eyes red and puffy from the tears she was, at the moment, trying to control.

"Jules, what happened?" Connie asked, embracing the younger girl in a comforting hug.

"I just yelled at Adam, I made a complete fool of myself at the corner coffee shop, I don't think I'll ever be able to go back in there, and I'm pregnant and the father wants nothing to do with me or the baby." She yelled before collapsing in Connie's arms with a small cry of anguish. This sure was a way to greet your best friend that you hadn't seen in 5 years. How did Connie always get herself in the middle of these situations? And it always seemed to happen right before she had to get to work. Jake would have to understand; she sighed heavily and wrapped a protective arm around her friend,

"Come on…Let's get you upstairs…." She said softly, leading Julie up the next flight of stairs.

Fulton Reed had just finished getting ready for work when the large door to the apartment swung open. He nearly dropped the glass of juice he had in his hand when he saw them enter. Julie, upset over something again, no doubt Scooter and Connie Moreau, the only original female member of the district 5 hockey team to stay with them through high school. She looked thinner than Fulton had remembered her and severely tired, not to mention she looked to almost be carrying her best friend through their front door, even though Julie had to outweigh her by 25 pounds.

"A little help here would be appreciated." She groaned as Fulton rushed to help her sit the emotional mother to be down on the couch with a bit of a thud.

"Scooter again?" Fulton asked, beginning to fix his tie for work. Julie shook her head no.

"I think it was something Banks said to her." Connie's voice filled the air in a small whisper. Fulton looked over at the brunette bombshell that stole every guy in their high school's heart with the exception of his own. She stared back at him with concerned eyes and Fulton sighed, he guessed he wasn't getting to work on time again today. His boss was really going to have his head. He sat down on one of the stools standing at the counter to the kitchen, a slight groan escaping his lips as he rubbed his face with his hand. Connie watched him in contemplation for a moment before taking a seat next to Julie.

"Fulton, if you have to go, I'll stay with Julie until she calms down." He shook his head,

"No, it's fine." Connie nodded, remembering how Fulton always put everyone above himself. She admired that quality.

"Are you the only one here?" Her eyes wondered down the hall of rooms and they were all shut, a privacy thing that the guys had finally established after too many lectures from Charlie about space.

"If you're asking if Guy's here. No, he left for his second job already." Fulton muttered to himself, Julie let out a small whimper here and there, turning away from her friends to the window.

"Are you alright now?" Connie asked, softly rubbing Julie's back, the same as Adam had. It felt different coming from her, Julie thought, a small gasp here and then still coming from her mouth. Fulton's eyes shifted to the door and a knock rattled on the old frame. He had heard someone coming up the stairs by the creak in that last step. He got up, moving towards the door with his hand tightened into a fist. The person on the other side of that door better not be not who he thought it would be. Throwing the door opened Adam Banks ducked the large fist swung his way.

"Man, whatever you said to her." Fulton gestured with his fist in the air.

"I swear I didn't do anything!" Banks countered, holding his hands up to block Fulton's next attempt at breaking his nose. Julie suddenly stood from her seat on the couch.

"Fulton, he's telling the truth. He didn't do anything. It was me; I'm the one freaking out over every little thing." She sat back down, her head resting in her hands. Fulton was suddenly confused, looking back and forth between the two.

"Whatever, I got to get to work. Lock up when you guys leave." He motioned to Connie and Banks. Adam nodded, moving in the door and straightening his dress shirt and tie. Fulton sighed heavily, moving through the door and shutting it behind him with a resounding bang. Connie looked between the two before she stood silently, straightening her jacket over her fishnet stockings. She hoped they hadn't noticed her choice in clothing.

"I guess I'll be going too. I have to get to work before I'm late. I think you too should probably talk or something. It was good to see you again" She motioned, shouldering her bag and leaving through the door, closing it more gently than Fulton but still with force. Adam nodded in acknowledgement as she left. Julie waited for the door to shut and looked up at Adam with nervous eyes. She'd never been this embarrassed before, what was this kid doing to her hormones?

"Is everything okay?" His voice was filled with worry as she looked up at him. He would look at her different once he knew she was pregnant. He was just like her parents; they came from the same kind of background. He wouldn't want to be here after she told him; he'd make up some sort of excuse and leave. She really didn't want to be alone right now. He slowly sat next to her on the old couch and placed his hand over hers.

"I know it's hard, when you break up with someone but you just have to tell yourself that that person wasn't the right one for you and that the right one is still out there." He said, trying to let her know his feelings. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening in the sun light coming from the window.

"But I thought he was the right one." Her words filled with the emotion she felt.

"No, anyone that can leave you isn't the right one." He said moving his hand to press a golden lock from her cheek back behind her ear. Her eyes met his and they locked into a stare that lasted for a few stolen moments. Julie broke the contact, looking down at the floor with a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"When have you known me not to be?" He joked, the mood lightening a dramatic amount in a short period. Julie smiled up at him, meeting his gaze again

"Thank you, Adam." He looked at her confused for a moment.

"For what?"

"For showing me how to laugh again, it's been a long time."

Fulton sighed with contempt, pulling open the heavy back stage door of the Minneapolis Sports arena. He was 15 minutes late; his boss was going to kill him. Glancing at his watch again, he shook his head. There was no way he was going to let him be in charge of security at Tammy's show if he kept this up. He kept his head down, walking passed rooms hoping no one had noticed he wasn't there yet. He glanced up to see the security office come into view and moved a little quicker to make it there before anyone stopped him. What he didn't anticipate was the petite blonde that exited a dressing room with a huff and stood right in his way with her back to him. He looked down at his watch again at just the moment he ran right into her, knocking her to the floor.

"I can't believe her... She thinks I'm a child." She muttered to herself, slumping against the wall before being knocked off her feet to the floor.

Tammy Duncan caught herself with a slight hint of grace, being an expert at falling on the ice. Fulton stopped right in his tracks and his eyes widened. Bright blue eyes looked up at him in confusion as of why she was now on the floor rather than standing where she had been the moment before. She was about to start yelling when she looked up.

"Tammy?"

"Fulton?" They asked simultaneously. She continued, "I didn't know you worked here." She laughed more to herself, glancing over his uniform. _It looked good_; she thought to herself, _it looked really good_. The thought left her mind and she began to collect herself to stand up again before she made a fool of herself. She really didn't want to embarrass herself in front of him.

"Yeah…I've worked here since I got out of college." He nodded a little too feverously. She was wearing tennis shoes, leggings, with a frilly skirt thing over the top and a pale pink camisole_, damn, she hadn't changed at all_. She smiled, knowing he was acting all nervous and it was over her. This could just work in her favor.

"That's so cool. Are you working Friday?" She asked just before a door slammed behind her and an angry man in a grey suit started towards them. Fulton immediately tensed as Tammy leaned back against the wall to get out of the way.

"Reed, where have you been, you're 20 minutes late. You know how I feel about tardiness; you will never execute that security properly on Friday unless you show some improvement." Fulton kept his head down; taking the abuse that was being thrown. He knew he deserved it since he was the one running late. He looked at the floor, nodding in agreement.

"Actually..." Her little soft voice cut the older man off mid sentence. "Mr. Reed here…"She acted like she was reading his name tag for the first time."...was just helping me. You see I lost one of my favorite earrings and he was helping me look for it. Stupid thing just fell right out when I was coming off the ice a little while ago. I mean, he's such a great help and such a gentlemen. I don't think I could skate on Friday, unless I know he'd be taking care of my security. I mean it was all my fault he's late checking in." She smiled warmly at the man, giving him her best flirty grin. His face redden just slightly before he plastered a fake grin on his face and nodded.

"Yes, Ms. Duncan. I'm sorry for the confusion; Fulton is one of the best we have. I have full confidence in him as well. So Friday then." He smiled down at her as she winked at him. He turned quickly walked back down the hall to his office and shutting the door with a resounding bang. Fulton let out the breath he was holding, Tammy leaning back against the wall as if nothing had happened, casually looking down at her nails.

"Thank you. Why did you do that?" He asked, still nervous to look at her.

"Because, I want someone to keep me company on Friday." She smiled again, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek, "You owe me one..." She whispered, before returning to her dress room.

"Where have you been? " He could hear a women yell at her as she entered. She groaned, shutting the door behind her. He waited until the door was shut before freaking out a little and then checking up and down the halls to make sure no one saw him before continuing towards his office, a huge grin plastered on his face.

It was almost 2 in the morning by the time Connie walked out of the back door of the club, closing it with a thud and wrapping her coat more around herself to keep warm. It had to be preparing to snow, she thought to herself that was the only time it could be this cold. Too bad she didn't have anyone to walk her home; this would be the first time she'd have to walk from work this late at night. It was an inconvenience but well worth it to get away from Marc. She was almost to the front of the building when she thought she heard something behind her. Turning slightly to look there was no one there, just the darkness of the night. It must have just been the wind, she reasoned, continuing on in long strides. She was moving so fast that her hair began to fall from its messy bun at the top of her head and down into her face. She softly cursed, pushing it back behind her ear. There was another noise from behind her but when she turned the roadway was too dark to make out if there was anything to be worried about.

"Damn it!" She cursed herself, wishing she had taken Jake's offer to walk her home. She declined, not wanting to get involved with another one of her bosses, that way it would never go south and she wouldn't lose another job. Moving quickly now she saw the bright sign of the diner come into view. Looking down at her watch she realized they'd be closing soon but she thought maybe she'd find someone she knew there. At the very least it's be somewhere to go for a few minutes until this psycho walked passed. She reached the front door in record time and swung it open, standing in between the door for the outside and the door to enter the diner, that's when she saw him. He was behind the counter, towel slung over his shoulder making a joke with Casey Conway, the only remaining waitress in the small box car restaurant. Looking at herself in the door's reflection she tried to rid her face of the heavy makeup that was still applied. Her choice of clothing wasn't any better, her fishnet stockings hanging out from the bottom of her loose short skirt. Glancing back out the door into the darkness of the night she tried to decide what was her better option. Finally deciding to walk into the warm embrace of the door, she took a deep breath, looking again at her reflection for reassurance she had gotten most of the makeup off before swinging the door open.

The door bell jingled and he turned to look at the entering customer to tell them that they would be closing soon when he was meet with dark brown orbs he'd know anywhere.

"Connie….It's passed your bed time isn't it?" Casey Conway-Bombay joked in her best mothering voice, beginning to clean the counter with a wet cloth. Connie silently watched her for a minute, not meeting Guy's gaze, she knew he was staring at her.

"Yeah, I was actually on my way home and thought I'd stop in for a minute to say hello." Casey smiled her gracious smile and continued to the back tables to clean them, leaving Guy and Connie in the silence of being alone. She smiled nervously at him as his fingers grazed the countertop.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked, motioning to the kitchen. She shook her head no, coming to sit at the counter.

"No, you guys are closing soon. I just stopped….." She couldn't lie to him; he felt it when she looked up at him. She smiled nervously and looked back at her hands. "Guy, would you walk me home?" She asked more embarrassed that she was asking for help than anything else. He leaned back against the counter behind him and looked at her in contemplation. Was he really going to do this, make her wonder what he was thinking, if he would say yes? He used to do this all the time in high school, try to make her nervous. She was already nervous.

"Yeah, I'll walk you home. But you'll have to wait a few minutes, I got to close down the kitchen and wait for Casey to make sure she gets in her car, Charlie would kill me." He said the last part softly, moving to enter the kitchen to finish the clean up.

"So, how come you didn't tell me your mother kicked you out?" He asked, upon entering the kitchen and looking through the box window out onto the floor. How did he know this? She asked herself before realizing the answer. Right, Julie was living with them now, she really shouldn't have told her all that stuff.

"It was coming for a long time and when she finally did, we were broken up so I didn't think it would matter to you."Connie tried make it sound like it didn't matter to her. _At least she was answering honestly_, Guy thought, wiping down everything in the kitchen and tossing the rag back in its spot before taking off his apron and turning the light off.

"I still would have cared. " He said so softly that she almost didn't hear it. Her eyes looked up at him in disbelief before he disappeared for a moment from the window to stand in front of her with his back pack slung over his shoulder.

"Hey, Case, you almost ready?" He asked, she returned to the counter and threw the cloth in one of the bins underneath before taking off her own apron and getting her purse.

"Yeah, let's go." She said as they exited through the door and locked each one.

"So I'll see you tomorrow..." Casey said to Guy, walking to her car, "It was good to see you again Connie. Hope it's not that long before I see you again." Connie smiled to herself, wrapping her arms, protectively around herself.

"No." She smiled back. Casey got in her car, shutting the door and turning over the engine. It wasn't two minutes and she was gone down the road towards her own home, leaving Guy and Connie standing there in the darkness. He quietly unlocked his bike and walked with it down the street, Connie following close behind.

"Guy, I just though..." She started but never finished. He smiled a little in distain,

"You just thought I would automatically stop caring the minute you decided to end things between us." He didn't look at her but kept his steady pace, they'd be at the apartment in a moment. He wasn't mad, just aggravated that he always had to be the bad guy in her mind. She was thinking something similar with her response.

"It was mutual, that we ended it and start our own lives. I didn't force you." She sounded offended he was suggesting she wanted to break up more than he did.

"Whatever, look, I think you should have know by that last night that I still loved you." They had made it to the apartment building and he placed his bike out front, chaining it to the railing of the front steps. She was dumbfounded as he glanced at her and moved into the warmth of the hall. The silence was awkward as they made it up the stairs and to her door.

"Guy... I..." He cut her off, pressing his lips gently to hers and crushing her petite body to his larger frame. Everything they had both missed the past five years pouring into the embrace as they clung to each other for something, anything the other was willing to give. Guy had started the heating embrace and he was the one that pulled back, leaving her feeling the loss of his warmth. She had thought they would have ended up in her bed the way he had kissed her. Before she could say anything to protest stopping, he touched her cheek.

"I still love you and I do care. So when you want to talk to me about what's going on in your life, what's really been going on, my door's open." And with that he slung his backpack over his shoulder and was up the stairs. A few seconds later she heard the closing of his door and slumped back against her own door. He knew, somehow, he knew.


	4. Chapter 4

The morning was silent with the new sun rising outside Connie's window. There was no reason for her to be up this early but she was, slipping her coffee at her kitchen window, the only semblance of food she could afford this week. Her mind was in deep concentration of a couple nights ago flashed in her mind. Guy knew about her secret life, or at least he knew she had a secret life and wanted to know what it was. She couldn't tell Guy about her nightly activities, he'd look down on her for the choices she was forced to make. He would never know that she had no choice. She successfully avoided him the past couple of days, having Jake drop her home on his way but she knew she couldn't avoid him forever. Looking down at her check book, a check sat half filled out. Pay to the order of Fran and Gary Morteau. She sighed heavily and looked back out the window, taking another ship of her coffee. Friday was coming fast, tomorrow to be exact, and she had a date with Guy upstairs in his apartment. They would be all alone and she wouldn't be able to avoid his questions then so the real decision to be made was whether she told him the whole truth or some fraction of the truth that she could make him believe enough to leave the conversation alone. She sighed heavily again against the cold window pane, sitting her cup down on the window sill, she placed her checkbook down and stood from her seat to survey the room. There were still a few boxes to be unpacked but the thing that made the most impact on the entire scene was that there was hardly any furniture, save the kitchen table and two chairs that Jake had dropped off the afternoon before out of pity. The living room was completely empty except for a few small boxes of Connie's personal belongings. She had managed to get some of her childhood things from her mother's house before she was officially locked out, the few things that she could call her own were the only things within the confides of the apartment walls. The box nearest to her held everything she held most dear. Taking a step forward, her small hand reached into the top to retrieve a small picture album. The light blue cover had faded with age already or perhaps it was the fact it hadn't seen light in a while. She placed it on the table along with her coffee and check book and sat down. This was a normal occurrence every month. She'd get paid, she's save it up, and then she'd send out the check. The picture album was all she ever got in return. She felt a single tear fall as she opened the book to the first page. It was a picture she had taken herself almost 4 years ago. A newborn baby stared back at her, his unmistakable brown eyes looking back. A tuff of blonde hair on his head. She felt another tear fall but she quickly wiped it away before finishing the check and ripping it out of her check book. She's placed it in an envelope and turned to the last filled page of the book, a little boy, almost 4 sat playing with his Tonka truck on the living room floor of her Grandparents' small cottage style house. He had bright brown eyes but curly blonde hair to create a beautiful contrast. She couldn't help but smile before she closed the book, she'd get another picture in the mail soon. She backed up slowly from her spot at the table and took her coffee with her, again looking out the window at the deserted street below. The clock read 5:59, she glanced at it as she passed before clicking over to 6 am. She sighed deeply before feeling the ceiling began to vibrate, the window panes shaking slightly. What the hell was going on? She wondered, she'd never seen an earthquake in Minnesota. A drum line beginning to waft through the ceiling tiles and she moved quickly to the door, swinging it open to listen for anything from the upstairs apartment.

The wall vibrated against Guy's sleeping head as he was shook awake. This was becoming a weekly event; at least the music was lower this morning, not quite so loud to reach Mrs. Johnson on the first floor. He rolled over trying to ignore the sound but once his roommates began to storm the hall, he couldn't keep ignoring it. Rolling unto his back, Guy looked at the ceiling with contempt, he really didn't want to get up this morning, and maybe he's call into his first job. His mind tried to wrap around the idea but he couldn't call in, he needed the money and the job more than the day off. Flipping the covers off himself, he pulled himself out of the soft folds of his blankets and opened his door to the new argument going on in the hall. There were two major differences, Guy concluded, looking to the group of people standing in front of him. Adam Banks pounded on the door of the room next to Guy's, his face reddened with anger.

"When did he come back?" Guy questioned to himself, looking around for the only female occupant of the apartment. Julie was nowhere in sight. Shrugging it off, Guy moved across the hall towards the closed bathroom door. A strange occurrence in itself, the guys barely remembered to put the seat down, let alone close the door behind them. Trying the cold knob that was gripped in his right hand, the door wouldn't budge.

"Come on..." Guy thought with annoyance, slumping back against the door in frustration before the sounds of gagging caught his attention.

"Hey, I wouldn't go in there if I were you..." Averman said, breaking away from the angry mob. "Julie's not feeling so well this morning..." He commented, letting Guy know that their first case of morning sickness had arrived.

"Great." Guy mumbled, seating himself at the base of the door with a yawn.

"I'm getting too old for this!" Adam mumbled to himself, removing himself from the crowd and coming to sit next to Guy on the floor. He was the same age as they were but to himself he felt 10 years older. He held the responsibility of an empire of his shoulders. Jacob refusing to take a job from his Father had set in motion a series of events leading to the Adam Banks he saw in the mirror every morning. He was been bred to be his Father. He ran fingers through his man of sandy blonde hair and sighed, leaning against the bathroom door.

"Hope Julie's okay. She's been in there for a while..." Banks mumbled, taking a second glance at the closed door.

"Yeah, she'll be fine…" Guy mumbled again, his thoughts falling back to a certain brunette one floor down.

"Yeah, I hope so, it was really weird, and she just got up and felt really sick…. I mean we stayed up half the night watching movies in the living room and eating junk food. We just fell asleep together but I'm not sick…." He mumbled more to himself than anyone else. Adam's face was one of confusion, remembering the night before. Somehow in the years since high school the boyhood crush that Adam had on one female goalie hadn't disappeared like so many of the other traits that used to make him the cake-eater as Averman and Jessie so names him. He'd changed more than anyone of the guys and he couldn't say it was for the better considering he hardly spoke to any of the guys anymore. Taking another glance at the door, his eyes met Guy's and he noticed a look of disbelief flash in Guy's eyes. At that moment Guy realized that Adam didn't know Julie was pregnant and quickly stood up.

"Yeah, weird. I got to get dressed..." He mumbled, moving back across the hall to his room before he let out a secret Julie didn't want Adam to know. With a slight shrug, Adam inched closer to the bathroom door.

"Jules, is everything okay?" He asked through the wooden door, placing a hand on the cool frame.

"Fine..." She mumbled back in between gags.

"Okay, well, I'm going to get going, I have to be to the office by 8..." Another gag from the closed door let him know she was still listening.

"I'll call you later okay, to see how you're feeling…"

"Okay…" She groaned as he stood to move towards the living room and collect his coat.

"See you guys later..." He mumbled, moving out the door with a bang. The music stopped just as the door shut and Portman's door opened quickly.

"Is he gone?" Ashlee Banks asked quickly looking around. The rest of the guys were in shock.

"Um... Yeah?" Fulton mumbled, taking a step back from the beauty that occupied the hallway, clad in an old Metallica t-shirt and shorts. She sighed with relief, leaning against the door frame.

"Oh, thank god..." She whispered, leaning her head against the door frame to catch her breath.

"So, what are you doing here?" Charlie asked, a bit of contempt laying in his voice at the rouse of waking them all at this early hour.

"Well, I came over last night to see Portman and my Brother and that girl were camped out on the couch when I went to leave. So I just stayed rather than hear him belittle my relationship with Dean." She said, glancing back at the soundly sleeping man in the bed behind her.

"Oh..." Averman said, his eyes turning down towards the floor. Ashlee's eyes narrowed at him but quickly moved to the other roommates staring back at her, a look of annoyance in each face she encountered.

"I didn't know he had his alarm set to go off at 6 with that loud music." She defended. The hall was silent for a moment before the door just behind the group creaked open to reveal a very green looking Julie. Her eyes were watered over and her hair was matted to her forehead. She looked at the group staring back at her and twisted her hair around her index finger.

"Sorry, guys. Morning sickness..." She mumbled moving towards her vacant room. She stopped just short of entering,

"What are you doing here?" She asked of Ashlee, turning to see the group still standing around.

"Nothing, I was just leaving actually." Ashlee said, quickly finding her clothes and heading for the bathroom before thinking twice of it and turning around, almost bumping into Averman in the process.

"Haven't you listened to anything your brother's been telling you? He cares about you..." Julie said, leaning against her room to keep herself steady from the waves of nausea still washing over her.

"Wait, I thought you liked Dean. Now suddenly you've switched sides?" Ashlee accused, taking a childish stance. "Boy, my Brother works fast." She commented. Julie shook her head,

"No, it's not like that. I just think you should take your brother's opinion into consideration. He's not trying to hurt you." Julie sighed, feeling her forehead again for any sign of the fever she felt.

"Right, like you did when you spent all night with him without mentioning you're pregnant?" Ashlee accused. Julie looked down,

"That has nothing to do with it! We're just friends, Scooter's going to come to his senses and we going to have a baby." Julie defended her relationship with Adam.

"Yeah, when hell freezes over! Stop using my brother. What if he really likes you? What are you going to do then?" That started the screaming match that ensued until there was a bang on the door that stopped the argument.

"Who the hell, would be here this early?" Charlie asked, slightly annoyed and at the same time intrigued. He moved through the crowd of people just as Ashlee shot back into Dean's room and slammed the door. Julie opened her room and entered before slamming the door behind her as well.

"What just happened there?" Averman asked before Fulton shrugged, trudging back to his room, mumbling something about women. Charlie's hand reached for the door handle of the front entrance, just as another knock tapped on the hard door.

"Yeah…" He mumbled, swinging open the door to one motion. He was shocked to find the same beautiful Connie Morteau standing in front of him.

"What is going on up here?" Her voice was light but still with all the seriousness she could muster. "I just saw Adam leave…" She poked her head inside around the still shocked former captain Duck. Averman looked at her for a moment before he headed for the kitchen. He returned a moment later,

"Hey, long time, no see, pretty lady..." He mumbled the usual Averman air around him. Connie smiled,

"Averman, still complimenting me without any hope of ever dating me?" She asked just as playful before giving him a small hug before looking back at Charlie.

"Connie, I can't believe it's you…" He mumbled, still slightly shocked. Connie blushed, placing a hand on the front of his thermal night shirt, playing with the loose button,

"It's good to see you too Charlie..." She mumbled, a sudden nervousness washing over her. They had never dated, he had always been with Linda but it didn't escape her realm of possibilities had Guy ever really ended things wit her. A door opened and closed behind them as they both looked in that direction.

"I'm going, Guys!" Guy stopped mid stride while still zipping up his jacket. "Oh, I didn't realize..." He mumbled slightly, finishing the zipper and throwing his scarf around his neck. "I'll see you guys later..." He mumbled again, going passed the two occupants of the door. Connie sighed,

"I got to go after him, I'm sorry. I'll talk to you guys soon…" She said loud enough for Averman to acknowledge in the kitchen. Averman raised his glass to her before she exited to follow Guy down the wobbly flight of stairs. Charlie shut the door with a click before coming to sit at the counter to look at Averman.

"Dude, what was that. I thought you got over your thing for Connie when you started dating Linda?" Avernman asked, pouring his friend a glass of orange juice.

"I thought I did, too. I don't know there's just something different about her now." His eyes remained lost in the moment that just occurred before he took a sip from the glass in front of him. He shook his head to bring himself back. "I got to get dressed, or I'm going to be late for work." Averman watched him leave the room before leaning on the counter to stare out the window. If only there were a way, he would tell Ashlee Banks how he felt about her. His mind wondered back to the vision before him when Dean's door had opened a few minutes before and the way she looked standing in front of him. When she had nearly run into him in the hall, his whole world stopped. His thoughts were broken with a second knock on the door for the morning. He sighed,

"Okay, Connie… haven't you got things to do?" He mumbled, swinging the door open once more. Ashlee Banks looked back at him, her hair still rumpled and her clothes thrown on.

"Sorry, I just forgot my purse…" She mumbled, moving passed him to the hall closet to remove the small pink purse from the floor where she had left it. Averman watched her go and then return to standing in front of him, "The mailman asked me to bring this up too, I don't know what it is…" She mumbled, handing over an envelope. Averman nodded taking the small folder paper from her hands. Their skin momentarily met and Averman's heart jumped in his chest.

"Ashlee..." He muttered out loud but she was gone back out the door. He didn't even have the chance to tell her a word; she was in and out of his life again. He sighed shutting the door with a bang. Just when he felt like he had courage to tell her how he felt, she didn't bother to stay and listen.

"Guy, will you stop?!" Connie yelled after the strong blond moving at top speed down each flight of stairs. "Guy!"

"I get it, okay, Constance!" He yelled, making it down to the first floor. Old Lady Johnson was there as usual.

"Boy! I talked to the landlord about you kids! Out on your ear before the end of the month - you hear me!" She yelled. Guy ignored her as usual, the petite brunette still following him.

"Guy, there's nothing going on between me and Charlie. I just hadn't seen him in a while! Will you please stop?" She yelled again once they had got outside.

"What Connie? I have to get to work. It's fine! We aren't even together as you reminded me the other night!" He yelled back, taking his bike from the rack.

"Guy, I love you!" She blurted out, grabbing on to his jacket with all her might. He stopped quick, looking down at her hands gripping the fabric. His eyes trailed from her grip to her shoulder then up to her face.

"You know I love you." He whispered before getting on his bike and riding away. The air brushed passed him as he rode, never looking back. He needed to think, he needed to know what she was hiding from him. Assumptions flew through his head but he shut them all out. All he needed was the truth.

Connie felt her head get light where she stood. How could he just leave her standing there like that? After everything they'd been though? The ground began to move beneath her but she caught herself against the wall. She closed her eyes against the light and took a couple of deep breathes before trying to stand on her own again. She couldn't be getting sick; she definitely didn't need to be missing work when she'd just started. Taking a deep breath and one more look in the way Guy had rode, she made her way back up the stairs and into her apartment to take a nap before work.

Les Averman stood at the kitchen counter, the last few minutes before he had to leave for work ticked by on the nearby clock but he wanted to know what was in the small envelope that sat in front of him on the counter. It was addressed to Dean, the letters very curvy and feminine in dark blue ink, suggesting it was sent by a woman. The curiosity got the better of him and he picked up the envelope, quickly making his way to Dean's room.

"Dean!" He yelled knocking once on the door before it was open by a very tired looking Dean.

"What..." He almost growled down at the shorted man. Averman was about to run away when Dean noticed the envelope in his hands.

"What's this?" He asked, practically ripping the fragment of papers from Averman's hands. He opened it at a hurried pace, reading over the contents, his face dropping to one of disbelief. He quickly unfolded a second piece of paper included in the package.

"Nah, Nah..." He repeated over and over again before moving from his room to sit himself on the couch.

"What's going on?" Averman asked with a hint of curiosity.

"This has got to be some sort of mistake..." Dean mumbled, looking over the letter again. He dropped his head into his hands before standing quickly, collecting all the contents of the envelope and shoving it in his back pocket before throwing on his shoes and running out the door.

"Okay." Averman thought to himself before returning to the kitchen to clean his glass and turn off the light before he left the apartment.

The strong, confident face of Dean Portman looked up at an uptown apartment complex just off Clinton Ave with a heavy sigh. Glancing down at the letter once more, he moved towards the front door of the apartment. A man stood at the door to usher people in and out and direct people in the correct direction for their destinations. Dean approached, taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, sir. This apartment complex is only accessible to its residence and guests. "The man announced sternly looking Dean up and down and cocking his eyebrow.

"Yeah, well, I'm here to see Belle Montgomery." Dean said not really in the mood for some dedicated bellboy. The man looked at him for a long moment before moving to the metal call board to his left. He pressed a button and waited for a reply.

"Yes..." The all too familiar voice sounded from the box.

"Ms. Montgomery, I have a ..." The man looked back at Dean.

"Dean Portman..." He said a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"A Mr. Dean Portman down here to see you, shall I send him up?" He asked, as sweet as possible.

"Yes, William, please..." She answered, a hint of nervousness lingering in her voice.

"Very well, Miss..." The man now identified as William replied before opening the door to Dean. "She's on the 12th floor - suite B." William muttered, softly, a bit of a defeated tone.

"Thanks, Bill." Dean added before passing through the door to the main lobby. Everything was glistening with golds and silvers, Dean had never been in such a rich looking place in his life. Moving quickly he made his way to the elevator to the right and pressed for the 12th floor. There was just one other occupant in the elevator with him, an older lady that exited on the next floor, looking back with a face of revulsion. Dean waited for the doors to close again and silently sniffed himself for a reason he had suddenly become the outcast but realized all too quickly it was his appearance. He didn't look like Banks, with a suit and tie or Charlie with his gelled hair and shined shoes. He definitely didn't look like he belonged in this building and on any other day you wouldn't have found him here. The ding of the elevator interrupted his thoughts and he stepped off, looking for suite B. The door sat on the end of the hall with a gold plate engraving suite B. He knocked quickly realizing after, that there was a doorbell to the right side but shrugged it off.

"Just a second..." Dean heard a female voice answer from the other side of the door. He took a deep breath, looking down at his choice of attire once before the door swung open. A girl stood there before him, light brown hair, pale complexion and clear blue eyes staring back at him.

"Dean." She whispered silently, pushing a stray piece of hair from her face and back behind her ear. Dean could tell she was nervous. "You got my letter..." She nodded to herself when he didn't answer. "Dean, I meant what I said, I don't expect anything from you. It was a stupid drunk night that never should have happen. You were right the morning after. It was rash." She could feel her cheeks heat up as he pushed passed her into the apartment.

"Dean..." She followed him into the living room.

"Belle... you can't just send me a letter like this and expect no reaction. Granted, we never planned for this but I'm not some deadbeat to just say screw it and move on with my life." He practically yelled.

"Dean, please..." She tried to calm him down and explain to him that he needed to be quiet.

"Who's this?" An older woman came to stand behind him in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Mom, this is my biology partner." Belle looked up at Dean to please play along with her. "He just came over to discuss that last lab we had." She tried to smile.

"Oh, well, keep it down would you? Your Father's trying to work." She mumbled taking another gulp of her martini that was clutched in her right hand.

"Right, sorry..." Belle mumbled waiting for her Mother to leave the room. "Dean, we can't discuss this here..." She whispered pushing him back towards the door and following with her purse.


	5. Chapter 5

The small coffee shop on 5th and Madison Ave was vacant this late in the morning. It was too late for the nine to fivers and their coffee run and too early for the lunch rush. Dean Portman's eyes watched the girl sitting across from him intently as she ordered a French decaf double with extra cream, folding a strand of auburn-brown locks behind each ear. Bella Montgomery was high society if Dean Portman had ever met one. She was rich and her family powerful but more than anything, she was beautiful. That's what had attracted Dean to her that night. Looking across the table at her again, she stared expectantly at him awaiting his order for the waitress. His choice of refreshment was a tall black coffee, no sugar or cream needed; he defiantly needed the caffeine this morning. The waitress left a moment later with their order and Dean's mouth opened to speak, not being able to wait a minute longer.

"Belle, I know you don't know me and for that reason you don't expect anything from me but I want to help you. This... This baby was my mistake too. I'm not going to let you go through this alone. I'm not some deadbeat that would just abandon their kid." Her eyes focused on the small pattern of the tablecloth intently before moving up to his face.

"Dean, you have to know, I don't do that kind of thing often. In fact, I'm supposed to be getting married to the Mayor's son, Todd, at the end of the summer." She let a small laugh escape her lips, "So, obviously I didn't plan for any of this. I've never even had a one night stand before that night. Hell, I've never even slept with anyone before that night." She confided. Great, he thought, as if he didn't already felt terrible, he felt ten times worse by the time she was done. He nodded reassuringly at her.

"Belle, you don't have to explain to me... I would never think that of you. We were both kind of drunk that night."

"I know but I've just been thinking of myself like that lately. I wasn't drunk enough to not be able to stop you. I wanted to as much as you did. I just don't know, I don't even know if I should keep this baby." Dean's eyes shot up at the revelation.

"Oh," He felt his throat constrict into a tight lump. "Well, it's your body, so it's your choice. Whatever you decide..." His voice fell off as his mind wandered. He had just familiarized himself with the idea of being someone's Father when she admitted her doubts.

"I don't want you to think I'm a horrible person or something either. This could potentially ruin my life... my entire future. I'd have to quit school, get a full time job to support myself and the baby. The moment I tell my parents they will kick me out on the street with nothing but the clothes on my back and I have no other family. Todd... oh God, I can't even imagine what he'll say... I'm so stupid." She convinced herself, slamming her head down on the table. Portman reached out to touch her but pulled his hand back at the last moment, thinking better of it.

"Dean, I really don't expect anything from you. This is a decision I need to make on my own. I just thought I owed it to you to tell you and maybe ask for your forgiveness." She leaned back in her chair as their coffee arrived. Dean nodded more to himself than anyone else,

"Yeah, well, I was mad this morning but now I understand." He downed his coffee in three large gulps, threw enough money down on the table for both their drinks and stood from his chair.

"Belle, this is my cell phone number. Just call me if you want to talk or when you decide something. I do want to help you." He whispered, quickly scratching down his cell number on a napkin and handing it to her. Their hands met briefly at the minor contact and Belle looked up at him for any sort of reassurance she was doing the right thing.

"I mean it, anything, you just call..." He whispered before kissing her on the forehead and walking out of the coffee shop to do some thinking of his own.

Sunlight poured into the uncovered windows of the second floor apartment. Connie's eyes opened to the change in light of the room. She hadn't really been sleeping anyways, just laying there thinking about her life. She found herself staring intently at the bright window, wondering how or what she would tell Guy the next night. That was if he even wanted to see her after that morning's event. Rolling over away from the sun, Connie tried to get up from her blankets thrown on the floor. It was sad; she didn't even have a bed to try to get a good night's sleep in. Finally standing from her spot on the floor, Connie felt a wave of nausea come over her and she ran for the bathroom, depositing the contents of her stomach into the awaiting bowl. She gagged a couple of times before collapsing back on the floor against the far wall. She couldn't and wouldn't be getting sick right now, she had to work, and there was no way around it. Leaning her head back against the wall she struggled to regain composure and tried to stand. Rinsing her mouth out, she glanced at the clock on the sink to her right,

"Great," She thought, she had 20 minutes to get to work.

Julie quickly opened her bedroom door, darting for the bathroom for the seventh time that day. Fulton watched her go from the door to the kitchen and contempt knocking to see if she was okay but thought better of it. The reason was more than obvious and through he was sure she liked the fact that they all cared enough to ask her if she was alright every time she ran for the bathroom that their mother hen act would get old. Instead Fulton moved to the kitchen to cook something to eat before he had to leave for work. The bathroom door opened a few seconds later and Julie walked out, silently shuffling her feet across the wood floor towards the living room. She reached the couch and laid down quickly, resting her hand on her head.

"Fulton, why can't men have the babies?" She asked which received a cough of laughter from the other side of the counter.

"That would be because women are stronger than men." He nodded, cracking an egg into the frying pan.

"And you're willing to admit that?" She asked skeptical that any man would fess up to such a statement.

"Yes, there's a study that was done that said that women have a higher pain threshold because they give birth." Julie nodded a little before standing from her comfy spot on the couch. She moved to sit on one of the stools at the counter to watch Fulton.

"Well, I just figured we were stronger because we had to deal with men." She joked, placing her hands on the counter. Fulton laughed slightly,

"You want something to eat?" He asked, continuing to cook on the stove.

"Oh, no, I don't think I could keep anything down right now..." She mumbled, leaning back from the counter.

"Okay, well, if you feel like eating later, Charlie and Averman will be home after 5 so they will probably cook dinner. I don't know where Portman's run off to but he should be back soon too. I have to get to work..." He mumbled, quickly eating the egg sandwich he'd made and grabbing his coat to leave the apartment. Julie was left by herself for the first time. She moved towards the couch and turned on the TV with the remote. After flipping through almost every channel they subscribed to, she couldn't find anything that interested her. She was about ready to turn off the television when she found the TLC network. They were in the middle of telling A Baby Story and Julie sat back to watch. She could hardly believe this would be her in a matter of months. She had no idea how to push or do any of that fancy Lamaze stuff. She didn't even have a partner. Looking at the night stand next to her, she retrieved the phone. He should have been home by now; his shift would have ended an hour ago. She silently punched the numbers and placed the phone to her ear. It rang 3 times before the answering machine picked up,

"Hi, you've reached Julie and Scooter! We're not home to take your call so please leave a message and we'll get back to you." She felt her throat freeze. The beep at the end woke her up and she quickly hung up. Glancing once more at the phone, she willed it to ring. She waited a total of five seconds before dismissing the thought and setting the phone back on the table. She sighed briefly and pulled her legs up under her on the couch, grabbing the blanket from the back to throw over her lap. She was just settled in when the door to the apartment opened and Dean Portman stood looking at her, his face showing ware from a long day of thinking. He'd gone down to the park where they used to play hockey and sat on the bench, just looking at the mostly frozen lake. He never thought he'd be in this position; have to make choices that would affect not only himself but someone else as well. He'd never cared before about anyone, it showed in the way he treated Ashlee. Oh, Geez, Ashlee... He reminded himself, coming to sit on the couch next to Julie. She looked at him with a slight confused express. In all the time that Julie had know Dean Portman she'd never seen him filled with such worry and doubt in himself.

"What's going on?" She asked, placing the remote back on the coffee table and her feet back on the floor.

"Oh, I don't know..." He mumbled leaning back to look at what she was watching on the television. He was met with a woman giving birth. Instead of being repulsed as many men would be at the sight in front of him, he took off his jacket, never taking his eyes off the television screen. Julie watched him for a moment before taking a deep breath and resuming her own seat on the couch, every once in a while glancing over at the man next to her to make sure he was still awake.

Charlie Conway sat at his boring desk in his boring office in the most boring building in Minneapolis. He silently surfed the internet from his computer, waiting for something to do. Leaning back in his soft leather chair, Charlie pondered the events of that morning. Connie seemed so different than he could remember her in the days of high school hockey. She seemed older, more mature but the one thing he couldn't get out of his mind was the coldness of her eyes. Something had happened to her to make her different. He had heard stories about her Mother kicking her out with nothing. Her Grandparents took her in briefly but couldn't afford to let her stay. Then it was like she dropped off the face of the Earth. Charlie's thoughts were interrupted by a shorter younger man entering his office.

"Mr. Conway, There is a Mrs. Taylor here to see you about that personal loan you were working on for her." Charlie's face brightened and he stood from his chair, adjusting his tie.

"Well, send her in..." He announced, closing the internet on his computer. The man rushed back out of the office at a hurried pace. Charlie took a look once at himself in the computer screen of his office before being content that he looked good. The door to his office opened and a woman in a heavy animal skinned coat stood in the doorway looking at him with a fire in her eyes.

"Charlie? It's been a while..." She mumbled, coming into his office and closing the door.

"Really Rita? I thought it had only been two days." He laughed slightly. She smiled, pulling the shades on his office window to block out the rest of the office from their private meeting.

"Two day? Well, that seems like a lifetime to me..." She mumbled, walking around his desk, a certain bounce in her step.

"Rita, we really have to stop this... what if your husband found out?" Charlie asked as the woman pinned him to the desk to start her assault on his lips.

"He won't find out, now will he?" She asked seductively before crashing her lips to his with a molten of passion.

"Rita, he's a very powerful man, he could have me fired from the company if he knew about this." Charlie said, trying to avoid her advances to have a serious conversation and at the same time being consumed by her velvet touch. His hands ran up her tight to her hip under her dress.

"You'll be fine, Charlie. Just stick with me and you'll go to the top of this company." She assured him before they sunk to the floor behind his desk in the heat of desire.

Fulton Reed was trying to keep his attention focused on Mickey Mouse skating to rock and roll is here to stay on the ice but his eyes kept drifting shut, much to his displeasure. He yawned loudly, earning a glance from the people in the front row just to his left. He looked at them for a moment before moving towards where the curtain opened to watch from there. Why did he have to work tonight? It was not as if there was a national threat to Mickey to blow up his trailer or something. No bombs would go off in the arena tonight, he reminded himself, glancing from security man to security man around the arena.

"All Clear at the curtain." He spoke into his walkie-talkie before leaning against the nearest wall. The radio confirmed the other men reporting in with the same monotone voices for their locations.

"Phss..." He heard a small voice from behind him whisper. He turned to glance behind him when he caught bright blue eyes he could never forget.

"Hey..." She whispered, her soft voice wafting through the air like a sweet melody to his ears.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, quickly moving to the petite blonde's side.

"Nice jacket..." She commented at his yellow security jacket he had to wear at events. He shrugged,

"It pays the bills." He mumbled, adjusting the piece of fabric over his shoulder. "So you didn't answer my question... What are you doing here?" He asked again. Tammy smiled more to herself than to him.

"Looking for you." She whispered again. Fulton smiled, turning his attention back to the show so it wouldn't be obvious he was excited. Mickey was going into his finale, the hell would be over soon, he thought.

"Really?" He asked, "What would you want with me?" He asked, trying to put on his cool guy act. Tammy smiled her classic smile again, the one he'd memorized in every photo he had of her.

"I thought maybe when you got out of here we could go for a drink or something..." Was she trying to ask him out? He thought.

"You mean like a couple of drinks at a bar or do you mean drinks that may turn into dinner?" Fulton asked. She smiled up at him, a surprising reaction for him.

"I mean, would you like to take me out on a date?" She asked. Fulton's mouth dropped open at her statement. He didn't want to seem too desperate but at the same time he didn't want to miss this opportunity.

"I'd like that, Tammy." She smiled up at him,

"Good, You almost done here?" She asked, looking back at the ice.

"Yeah, just got to wait for everyone to clear out of the arena and then I can go." He mumbled with a nod. She nodded back,

"Okay, well, I'll go wait in the back." She whispered, leaning up to kiss him in the cheek again, "Come find me when you're ready." She whispered again, leaving his side. He felt her warmth leave him but he was already warm on the inside. He was taking out Tammy Duncan.

The office was quiet by the time Charlie made it from his corner room to head home for the night. Glancing at his watch it was almost 6. Averman should be on his way home soon, he thought, grabbing a tissue from the nearby desk to wipe the lipstick from his face. Why did he let himself get involved with a woman like that? Oh, right, because she's the boss' wife and what she wants she gets. It was a double edged sword though, if he didn't sleep with her, she'd have him fired but if her husband ever found out they were sleeping together, he'd have him fired. There was no winning in this battle but to play the game until it ended, whenever that might be. Turning off the last light in the building, he got on the elevator to make his way down to the lobby and out the door.

Averman walked silently up the darken streets from his job three blocks away, his hands shoved in his pockets to protect them from the cold. The air was getting that chill in it again that said it could and probably would snow any moment but he didn't care. Averman was actually one of the few people that didn't care if it snowed or not. Making the last turn unto his street he spotted someone sitting on the front steps of his apartment building, their head in their hands. He moved closer at a quickened pace now, the small form of a woman coming into view. Ashlee sat bent of over, her head in her hands in contemplation.

"Ash?" He asked each step he took a bit closer. She looked up at him, a look of worry on her beautiful face. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, showing concern in his voice. She shook her head,

"Oh, nothing really. It's just I've been thinking all day long about what Julie said to me and I hate the fact that Adam is so mad at me for choosing Dean but I can't help it, I love him." Her words hit him like daggers to the chest.

"Oh, I see." He mumbled, sitting next to her on the step.

"Now that she's living with you guys, Julie's just going to go back and tell Adam everything." Averman shook his head,

"No, Ashlee, Julie's not like that. She was just stating her opinion this morning. She's not a spy for your brother." He reassured her. Ashlee nodded a little, not fully believing him but trying to.

"It's just, it bothers me that Adam makes up all these lies about Dean to make me believe that he's cheating on me or sleeping around. I can't believe he would do that. Dean use to be one of his best friends." Ashlee went on obvious to the fact Averman's face went pale. He knew the truth, he knew what was going on behind her back but could he really tell her and then expect her to fall into his arms.

"Ashlee..." He started, her eyes darting up to meet his. He stared in them for a long moment, willing himself to speak but he couldn't find the words. He couldn't do it, he couldn't destroy her dream.

"Ashlee, Dean loves you too..." He mumbled, looking down at the ground. He really wanted to tell her he loved her but stood up fast. "Come on, Kid, let's go inside where it's warm..." He mumbled, wrapping his arms around himself in an effort to keep warm. She nodded, standing up and beginning to walk in with him,

"You know Averman, you're a good friend." She mumbled, bumping shoulders with him in a playful fashion. He smiled, holding the door open for her as they walked in.

Connie could feel her face flush as the lights of the stage flashed over her again. She was trying to complete her second show when she couldn't stand any longer and rushed off the stage to sit down. Jake was at her side in a moment.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked her, a hint of concern in his voice. She was sweating, she could tell because of the feeling of drops of water running down her neck.

"Yeah, yeah, it's just this bug, I can't shake..." She mumbled, trying to stand to go back out there. She felt her knees get weak and Jake caught her right before she collapsed on the floor.

"Okay, that's it. You need to go home and rest."

"No, Jake, I need the money!" She protested, trying to stand again and failing again. He sat her in the chair she'd been occupying.

"Connie, I can't have you here like this! Go home and get some sleep. You can come in tomorrow for some extra hours if you want." He reassured her. She nodded a little, taking the bottle of water he offered her,

"Okay." She mumbled, feeling slightly better to stand. He nodded,

"You going to be okay to get home?" He asked. She nodded,

"I got here, didn't I?" She asked, playfulness still left in her voice. He smiled before walking away to tend to the other girls that were standing around, worried about her. She quickly threw on some clothes over the outfit she was wearing and her jacket before heading out the back door of the club. The cool air actually felt good to her warm skin. She walked past the diner on her way home and stopped to stare in the window. Guy stood, like usual, at the counter staring off in the distance. She watched him for a couple of minutes before continuing on with her walk. Tomorrow, she'd have to go in to make up the hours; she couldn't afford to lose them when all her money was going to the little boy in the photos, her little boy. Tomorrow was Friday, she reminded herself, not even thinking about the plans she'd made with Guy.

Dean Portman lay curled up in bed next to the most beautiful girl in the world but his mind wasn't on her. His mind feel to one other girl halfway across town with a very important decision to make. Ashlee had chosen the outside of the mattress that night, not against the wall, like usual. So dean had no way to get out without waking her. His cell phone sat on the night stand just out of his reach. Maybe Belle wouldn't call tonight, he thought, hopefulness in his mind. He let his eyes drift shut and he held Ashlee closer to him. Tonight, he wouldn't think about it, tonight he'd enjoy having Ashlee with him. Just after Dean Portman dozed off in his sleep, the familiar ringing of his cell phone woke Ashlee from a dream she'd been having.

"Dean, your phone..." She mumbled, trying to wake him. He was out cold, she realized after a few seconds of him not answering her. She sighed, rolling over to grab the small piece of technology. She glanced at the number, not recognizing it before picking it up.

"Hello?" She asked as sweet as possible. The other line was silent for a long moment.

"Hello?" She repeated, almost ready to hang up when a voice came on the other end of the line.

"Is Dean there?" The soft voice of a woman asked. Ashlee looked back at Dean,

"He's asleep, can I take a message?" She asked softly as not to wake him.

"Sure, tell him Belle called and that I've made a decision. I've got an appointment tomorrow at 4 at the downtown planned parenthood if he wants to come." She mumbled. Ashlee was suddenly very confused but took the mental note.

"Okay, Belle. I'll tell him." She mumbled, more confused than ever.

"Thanks." The girl murmured before disconnecting the other end. Ashlee hung up the phone and looked back at Dean for a moment. She didn't want to jump to conclusions as any Banks would but she wanted some answers. He looked so peaceful that she couldn't bear to wake him; she'd ask him about it in the morning.


	6. Chapter 6

The arena was drafty, a slight chill resounding in the air from the frozen ice. Fulton Reed heard the soft humming of the new zamboni slide across the frozen sheet of glass behind him as he walked the last aisle in his section. No one was left in the arena but he still had to check, it was his job after all. He moved up the last step shining the flashlight he carried unto the last row and was satisfied that his area was clear. The lights came on a few seconds later, illuminating his steep descent to the floor. Moving at a quickened pace but not quite a run, Fulton moved down the steps with ease. Tonight he was taking out Tammy Duncan. THE Tammy Duncan. Just her and him, alone. He felt his pulse quicken in his veins at the thought. What would he say to her? What should he say to her? It'd been so long since the last time he's seen her, what did they still have in common? Taking a deep breath he made his way back to the curtains. She was standing just behind them, a nervous bounce in her step as she checked the hallway every few minutes for someone to come and kick her out. She had her small Smartphone in her hand and she looked to be surfing the web.

"Looking for someone?" He asked looking in the direction she was. She turned fast, a smile brightening her face.

"Just you. You ready to get out of here?" She asked, playfully touching his chest.

"Yeah, I'm ready when you are." She laughed, taking one last glance behind her and lacing her arm with his.

"Oh, I'm definitely ready." She said tugging his arm a little harder than he expected. They made their way out the backdoor, the heavy metal slamming behind them in the dark of night.

Charlie Conway's slap shots echoed in the vacant alleyway next to the large apartment. The clank of the puck against the street was a relieving feeling to his aching head. One more shot into the case that Fulton found years before to shoot into and Charlie threw down his stick to sit. This was his life, this was what he chooses. _He gave up hockey for a desk job, he gave up Linda for some stuck up banker's wife. He really was some stupid kid that had gotten in over his head_. He sighed, running a hand through his brown locks before standing to collect his pucks and go again.

"Can I join you?" He heard the softest voice coming up behind him. He turned, taking a glance at his new companion before shrugging.

"If you want. Can't say I'll be much company." He mumbled retrieving his lost puck and placing all but one in his pockets. Connie sat down on the box to his left, wrapping a sweater tightly around her shoulders.

"That's okay, can't say I'll be either but it's better than being alone." She let a small cough escape her lips before she covered her mouth.

"You sick?" Charlie asked, shooting the first of his pucks towards his target.

"Yeah, some bug or something. I can't keep anything down and I keep getting cramps." She mumbled, not wanting to bring him into her problems.

"Maybe you should see a doctor, get things checked out?" He asked.

"Yeah, well, my job doesn't provide health insurance so I'm kind of out of luck. I'll just eat some soup and sleep it off." She assured him, lifting her legs up to her chest to wrap the sweater around them too. It was chilly for an April night, she thought, even for Minnesota.

"So, how'd it go with Guy?" Charlie asked, leaning on his hockey stick to stare at Connie. She looked down,

"Okay, he's still mad at me but when wasn't he?" She laughed a little before letting out a cough. Charlie nodded,

"Yeah, that's true. I always felt embarrassed to be around you two because we never knew when you'd break out into a fight or a make out session." Connie laughed again.

"Yeah but most of the time, I started those fights with something stupid, like this morning. No offense." She mumbled. Charlie looked down,

"None taken, it's kind of funny, this morning I thought I still had a little crush on you, from when we were kids, but now I realize, I was just wishing for the old days again. The days when we didn't have to worry about jobs and money and how we're going to get through tomorrow." Charlie shot another puck towards the road.

"Yeah, sometimes, I wish we could all just start over. Maybe things would have been different." She added with a shiver. Charlie looked over at her,

"You cold?" He murmured. She nodded slightly before he picked up his pucks again and wrapped an arm around her, "Come on, it's getting late, let's go inside." He finished, helping her up off the box and towards the front door. She nodded,

"I missed talking to you." She smiled, wrapping her arms around herself to block her petite body from the cold before they entered the front door.

The lights of Minneapolis were lit against the night sky, drawing Tammy's wondering eyes to the tall buildings around her. She was seated in the passenger's seat of Fulton's green Ford Explorer, watching as each new building came into view. It had been a long time since she'd been out on her own that she wanted to see and do everything.

"Oh, Fulton, let's go there!" She exclaimed excitedly pointing at the Suds-Club off to their right. Fulton glanced in the direction she was pointing before laughing a bit.

"Tammy, you do know what that club is, don't you?" He asked nervously. He had never been in that club either and he didn't think he was exactly dressed for the occasion considering it was a dance club that soaked its occupants with more subs and bubbled than four bathes could provide.

"Let's find out together." She laughed a little, jumping out of the car while it was still rolling.

"Tammy!" Fulton yelled, stopping the car in the middle of the road. He watched her run towards the end of the line before he found a parking spot and parked the car. Following her to the end of the line, she was almost at the end on the block, looking ahead. Coming to stand next to her, he silently looked forward,

"So... you sure you want to do this?" He asked almost silently. She looked ahead again as the line seemed to almost stand still, it was moving so slow. She looked around one more time before back at him as he waited for his answer.

"Come on." She murmured, grabbing his hand and moving to the front of the line. Tammy's eyes looked on the man letting people in the door and she immediately let go of Fulton's hand to seem available. Fulton looked at her with a puzzled look for a moment. She moved to the side of the line and leaned over the red velvet rope to accent her chest to the man in front of her.

"Excuse me?" She asked in her sweetest voice. The man turned to her, a bit of a scowl on his face before he spotted her.

"I'm sorry to bother you but..." He immediately interrupted her.

"You're that skater from the Olympics, aren't you?" He asked excitedly. She smiled immediately, knowing she had him in the palm of her hand.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" She asked twirling a piece of her long blonde hair around her index finger in a flirty sort of way.

"Well, geez, you're a regular hometown hero around here." He mumbled so the other people in line couldn't hear him. Tammy let out a flirtatious laugh, placing her hand over his. "Hey, you want to get into the club?" The man asked, looking down at her hand.

"Oh, really? I mean, I don't want to cut in front of all these people..." She whispered innocently.

"No, no, come on!" He gestured opening the rope for her.

"Really, I hate to ask but, can my friend come too?" She asked, motioning for Fulton to follow her.

"Yeah, yeah, just save me a dance later..." The man smiled at Tammy as she passed.

"Oh, you're so sweet." She giggled again grabbing Fulton to pull him through. He rolled his eyes at her act before following. Once they were within the main doors Fulton pulled her aside.

"You need to get a new act." He said quietly. She scoffed slightly,

"It got you in, didn't it?" She asked playfully heading to find a table. He watched her go for a moment before following; he really wasn't looking forward to making a fool of himself in front of her.

Julie Gaffney laid on the couch for the third time that day. She just couldn't shake the morning sickness, which had turned into afternoon sickness, and now night sickness. Was this how every pregnancy goes? Was she going to be puking her brains out for the next nine months straight? She sighed with contempt before the phone started to ring. She looked up at the caller id and read, A. Banks, so she quickly picked it up.

"Hello?" She asked sweetly.

"Jules, so you're feeling better?" He asked into the receiver. She sighed again; there she was lying to one of the only men she could trust.

"No, not really, I've been sick all day." She mumbled, resting her head against the pillowed arm.

"Oh, well, I was actually calling because my Dad's having a business party tomorrow night at the Hilton and I was wondering if you would like to go with me. Not a date, just friends, you know, saves me the aggravation of having to explain why I have no date and lets you get out of the house for a little bit, get some good food?" He asked, trying not to seem desperate. She smiled a little at the nervous Adam Banks.

"Sure, I'd like that Adam." She whispered. They were friends after all and she would like to get out and do something other than lay about and throw up all day. It wasn't like she was marrying him or anything.

"Great, so the party starts at 7 so I'll pick you up around 6:30ish..." He mumbled. She smiled again, knowing he was relieved at her answer but still very nervous on how to approach this.

"Right, should I dress up because I don't really have any of my nice clothes here... I'd have to go home to get something." She thought out loud.

"Um, yeah, it's a formal party but look, I'll pick you up let's say 5:30 and we'll go get you something to wear?" He asked.

"Oh, Adam, I can't afford to be buying new things right now, I mean I don't get many hours down at the library and..." He cut her off,

"Jules, I'll buy you something to wear." His voice was now exuding confidence. She sat up straight from the couch,

"Adam, I can't ask you to do that..." Her voice was stern yet excited at the prospect of someone buying her new things.

"You didn't and I want to because I asked you to go." His speech was still confident and unwavering so she gave it.

"I mean, if it's not too much trouble..."

"Excellent, so I'll see you tomorrow night?" He asked.

"Yeah, 5:30." She repeated still in amazement at what had transpired.

"Yes, be ready. See you tomorrow, Jules." He mumbled.

"Yeah, night." She answered before hanging up the phone. All in all that was the weirdest phone conversation she'd ever had but she didn't have time to examine the conversation because she was in the bathroom again within thirty seconds.

Fulton watched the third martini be consumed from across the table as Tammy set the glass down with a thud.

"Wow, you know I've never drank in my life." She murmured before letting out a annoying shrill of laughter. "How come you're not drinking?" She asked, a little confused. She wanted him to have fun too.

"Because I've got to get you home, Tammy." He mumbled, suddenly annoyed at the girl sitting across from him. _What was she doing, was not having to worry about anything her entire life really made her such a spoiled little brat?_ Fulton shook his head with annoyance.

"Come on, I thought you were supposed to be the bad boy?" She asked, seductively coming around the table. Fulton tensed in his seat as she leaned over him. _She really was beautiful and she smelled good too, _he thought.

"Yeah, well, I've grow up, it's nice to see you haven't..." He shot back. Tammy was taken back for a moment before she brushed it off and planted herself on his lap.

"Fulton, I always liked you when we were playing hockey..." She giggled almost to herself in her drunken state. She really wasn't that drunk but she was nervous to have this conversation sober. He turned his face away from hers to avoid her alcohol breath. "I always wanted to kiss you." She mumbled, trying to lean in. Fulton backed up, getting up from the seat and placing her back in it.

"Okay, look, Tammy, parties over, okay? You're drunk; I think we should get you home." He asked, trying to be polite yet stern and grabbed her sweater from the other booth.

"God, you're just like my Mother. Always telling me what to do!" She yelled at him, pushing his hands away from her body as he tried to help her. She stumbled to get up from the booth and pushed passed him to the dance floor,

"Tam..." He didn't even get her name out before she was passed him. He quickly threw down his jacket and her sweater and followed her. She was in the middle of the dance floor stumbling a bit at first but then settling into a dance. He watched her body move for a moment, remembering why he liked her so much. She was beautiful and she used to be smart, he thought as he approached. She saw him coming and grabbed his shoulders in her hands,

"You ready to play nice?" She asked a bit on the flirting side. He had to smile at the comment but it's didn't mean he'd forgiven her.

"You wanted to dance, Princess." He reminded her. She smiled at him again, wrapping her arms around his waist this time and pulling him towards her in a fiery passion. They were locked together as their body moved across the dance floor. The music was fast but they were more interested in each other. Looking in her eyes, Fulton could tell the drunken act was just that, she may have been half drunk but she was putting on a show to get his attention. She looked at his pale face for reassurance she had gotten his complete attention, she wanted herself to be the only thing in his world at that moment, she wanted to feel loved and wanted, something that had been denied to her for so long. She wanted something other than what she'd gotten all her life. With their bodies suddenly fighting for dominance of the dance floor, the heavy metal tubes place around the floor began to sud bubbles. _This was why it was called the suds club_, she though with a smile. Their eyes were locked on each other so intently that they didn't even notice when the suds were up to their knees before Tammy slipped in her high heels sending both of them to the floor. They let out a laugh, beginning to throw bubbles at each other in a reckless manner. Tammy yelped in pleasure when he finally caught her among the suds, wrapping his arms around her waist. She turned in the embrace and looked again in his eyes,

"I'm sorry; I thought you wanted a bad girl." She mumbled sweetness in her voice again. "I just wanted you to like me..." He smiled knowing that she had been only acting.

"I'm sorry too, but I need to ask, did you really mean what you said when you said you'd liked me since hockey?" He asked. She smiled as the suds rose around them,

"Yeah, I did." She murmured before capturing his lips in her own. She still tasted of sour alcohol but there was something else mixed in, a new taste he liked very much. She opened her lips to him to deepen the kiss as their tongues began to fight for dominance as their bodies had on the dance floor earlier. Forced to part for the need of air, Tammy smiled at Fulton, running a hand down his cheek, leaving a trail of bubbles. He laughed slightly, kissing her again before planting a handful of bubbles on top of her head. It was war then.

The sun was beginning to rise by the time Fulton's green explorer pulled up in front of the Hilton. Tammy looked up at the building with disguise.

"You know, I wish I could just go home to Dad and Tommy but Mom insists we need to stay here for added protection. God, she acts like someone's going to murder me for winning a gold medal." She mumbled, turning to Fulton. He smiled a little,

"It could happen, just be careful." He murmured, bringing his lips to hers. She smiled against the embrace.

"I will. I had a good time last night..." She whispered her face still close to his.

"Me too, maybe we can do it again sometime?" He whispered back.

"Maybe tonight?" She playfully asked. He smiled,

"Yeah, that sounds nice." He mumbled before kissing her again.

"I should go..." She whispered against his lips.

"Yeah, you should." He whispered back as they kissed again. She laughed,

"Okay, really. I'll see you tonight." She whispered, backing away and opening her door. He smiled, continuing to hold her hand.

"Okay, get some sleep." He mumbled, not wanting to let go of her hand. She laughed again finally getting her hand back.

"I'll see you tonight." She whispered again, shutting the door and waving slightly. He waved back, watching her enter the hotel; he sat there for a moment before shifting the car and pulling back out on the road.

Soft rays of sunlight poured into the open curtains of Averman's window. He rolled over once before reaching for his glasses on the night table. He didn't even look at the clock but he stood from his small twin size bed to stretch. Looking out the window, the sun shined brightly down on the street before him, people getting ready to head off to work, people already commuting to work. He could even hear the birds chirping from their nest on the roof. This was how a perfect spring day was supposed to look, he thought to himself with a smile. Finally looking at the clock, he noticed it was 7:47 and the house was quiet. He hadn't even heard Guy get up to leave that morning. Averman felt a slight feeling of eeriness run down his spine before voices from the next room caught his attention.

"Dean, I just asked who she is." Ashlee's voice sounded through the paper thin plaster wall.

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't be answering my phone and you wouldn't have to ask that question." He raised his voice. Averman wanted to go next door and knock some sense into the big ape. How could he think of talking to Ashlee that?

"I didn't think it would be a problem, unless you've got something to hide?" Ashlee's voice was low at the statement; Averman could almost not hear her response to his accusation.

"I don't! But you still shouldn't be answering my phone!" He yelled.

"I'm your girlfriend!" She yelled back, "You shouldn't be hiding things from me!" At that point, Ashlee began to pack up her stuff from the night before.

"Where are you going?" Dean asked, a bit of calmness entering his voice.

"Away from you!" She snapped slamming around things in the room to get her stuff. "Belle said she'd be at Planned Parenthood at 4 this afternoon... if you care at all or whatever that means." She yelled before opening the door to his room to exit.

"Ash, wait!" Dean yelled grabbing her upper arm.

"What?" She whispered,

"Don't leave like this. I'm not hiding anything from you." He whispered back. All the doors in the hall were silent, so they didn't think they had awoken anyone.

"Dean, you don't know how much I want to believe that but you're not answering any of my questions. What am I supposed to think?" She wondered out loud. "Just call me when you're ready to tell the truth." she murmured, pulling away and leaving the apartment. Averman by that point had his head out the frame of the old oak door to his bedroom. Dean turned back to slam his door in frustration, when he spotted Averman staring down the hall.

"What are you looking at?" he yelled before Averman retreated back into his room with a quick slam of the door. Portman returned to his own room to search his call log for a number he could reach Belle at. He was pretty sure what she had decided but he wanted to confirm it with her. His mind was spinning with his own thoughts. Finding the number as the last number to call the night before, he quickly pressed the send button to call it back. It rang twice before her voice came on the line.

"Hello?" She asked, her voice sounded raspy and weak to his ears. He hoped she hadn't been up all night, contemplating her decision.

"Hey Belle, its Dean." He mumbled. Belle didn't answer right away, creating a long pause.

"Hi Dean, Did you just get my message?" She asked shyly.

"Yeah, Yeah, I got it." He sighed, dropping his head to his hands.

"I didn't mean to upset that girl if I did. Is she your girlfriend?" Belle asked cautiously. Dean nodded to himself,

"Yeah, Ashlee, my girlfriend." he confirmed. Belle nodded to herself on the other end.

"Oh, I wasn't thinking when I left you that message last night. I just had to get it out before I burst. I've never had to make a decision like this before." he heard a sniffle from her nose. Now he knew she'd been crying.

"No, no, I'll work it out with her. So you decided to..." She cut him off,

"I can't have this baby, Dean. It would ruin both our lives." She whispered, the tears threatening to fall again. "As much as I'm against abortion, I don't see any other options." He nodded silently.

"Okay, I support you..." He sighed, leaning his head back against the wall as he sat on his bed.

"If you want to come with me, you know, for support, I'd like that. If not, I hope everything works out with you and your girlfriend. She sounded nice." Belle weakly tried to smile.

"Thanks, good luck in your marriage." He mumbled back, feeling a sense of loss in the pit of his stomach.

"Yeah, thanks. I guess I'll see you around." She whispered into the receiver.

"Yeah, see ya." He mumbled, willing himself to hang up but he couldn't do it. He heard her soft breathing on the other end and couldn't let go.

"Well, Bye." She softly whispered before the phone disconnected. Portman sat looking at the phone. That was it, that was the end of that. He could start a new with Ashlee and finally prove her brother wrong. The thoughts were all good ones until his mind fell back to Belle and the way her voice sounded on the phone. He told himself, he could do nothing about it and to forget her, like she would him eventually. With that thought, he changed his clothes and set out to find Ashlee and explain the whole thing to her and beg her forgiveness to start over.

Guy Germaine walked through the frozen foods aisle at Jones Market on Main Street. He glanced at the pre-made meals in the case and pondered what to cook for his dinner that night with Connie. He was no good at women and dates anymore. Truth be told, he hadn't dated anyone since Connie. Looking over the meals he decided to cook lasagna, it was Connie's favorite he remembered. Moving towards the registers, Guy spotted the guy Connie had had a confrontation with in the hall just a few days before. He was dressed like he was that afternoon, dress pants and half buttoned shirt. This time he was leaned over the counter talking to the young woman behind the desk.

"Come on, you're really pretty, you could make a lot of money if you come work for me." He cooed with a slight excitement in his voice.

"I don't know I've never taken off my clothes in front of people before." She whispered back, holding closed the top of her dress shirt.

"It's a respectable job with a respectful group of men. You don't have to do anything you don't want to" Marc reassured her. Guy hung back listening for a minute and quickly began to put the pieces together. Connie was a stripper? He asked himself. Why would she do that? He asked himself, again trying to listen in to the conversation. Marc was in the middle of his little sales pitch when he started coughing uncontrollably.

"Are you alright?" The girl asked, handing him a tissue from the box behind her.

"Yeah, Yeah, just a cold." He promised, hiding the tissue behind his back. Guy could make out the faint trances of red blood lining the tissue. The man was defiantly sick, in more ways than one.

"Well, I must be going, here's my business card if you change your mind." He said handing it to the girl with a smile. She accepted it, watching him leave the store before throwing the card away. Guy approached the counter with his stuff and she began to ring him up.

"Did you know that guy?" Guy asked, hoping to get some information.

"Not really, comes in here a lot, use to come in with some brunette but apparently she left him. I would too." The girl whispered, packing Guy's things in a brown bag. He paid her and took the bag,

"Keep the change." He motioned, lifting the card from the garbage on his way out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Guy stood outside the overpowering shade of the apartment building. The bag of groceries sat on the step to his left but that was the farthest thing from his mind at that moment. His back was leant back against the cold concrete of the outer wall of the main floor. In his hand was the small card he'd lifted from the garbage. He looked down at it with distain. How could she do this? How could she sell herself for a few bucks? It just wasn't the Connie he knew at all. She'd changed. He closed his eyes to think, leaning the base of his head back against the wall. Why would she do this? He felt his usually calm demeanor fail him before he let out a fit of anger, punching the wall with all his might. The wall didn't move but he had a feeling the bones in his hand did. Shaking the pain off Guy looked up at the tall apartment building with distain.

"Maybe I should just talk to her about it now?" He mumbled, picking up the bag and heading in the building, a slump to his shoulders. The stairs creaked below the weight of his body with each step he took. The second floor wasn't too far off; he took two steps at a time. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of Connie's door, looking at the apartment number bronze plate. Lifting his arm to knock, he hesitated for a moment before tapping his knuckles against the heavy wood.

"What am I going to say?" He whispered to himself, stepping from one foot to the other. Glancing down the hall, he hoped that no one had seen him looking so nervous. There was no one in sight, so he looked back at the door awaiting it's occupant to answer. There was no sound from inside the door, Guy glanced down at his watch, it was 1: 30 in the afternoon. She shouldn't have been sleeping but maybe she had to work before their date that night. He sighed, their date. He'd have to ruin their date to talk about what he'd found out. Sighing again, he leaned his head against the door hoping that she'd come and answer it and they could talk about this now instead of later. No such luck, he realized, still hearing nothing from the other side of the door. It made sense now, the clothes she'd been wearing a few nights before, the way she was walking home must have been from the club down the street. He sighed, touching her door again. She wasn't home, no matter where she was, she wasn't home. He picked up the bag of groceries again and headed for his apartment one floor up.

The apartment was buzzing when he unlocked the door and entered. Fulton was up and dressed an hour before he had to be to work. Julie was rushing around the apartment trying to find something that seemed to be stressing her out. Dean was no where insight and Charlie and Averman should have been at work.

"Hey, Guy, long time, no see..." Fulton smiled cheerfully from behind the counter of the kitchen. Guy looked at him with a bit of surprise, walking through the door to the kitchen and beginning to put away the items he'd bought.

"You're in a good mood." Guy commented, not looking at Fulton. He smiled to himself,

"Yeah, I've got the most beautiful girl in the world." Fulton's voice was filled with happiness. Guy smiled at his friend's playful mood.

"I take it things went well with Tammy?" Guy asked, finishing unpacking the things he'd bought and turning to the man standing at the counter. At that moment Julie appeared at the counter, sitting on a stool,

"Well? Try great. That's all he could talk about all morning." Julie commented, searching under the papers on the counter.

"What are you looking for?" Fulton asked, taking a sip of his glass of orange juice.

"My favorite earrings." Julie moaned with annoyance. "This place is like a black hole." She whispered with contempt, still searching now the crevices of the couch by pulling the cushions up.

"Easy there, Prego, you might need to throw up again, you keep running around like that." Fulton mocked with playfulness in his voice. She smiled,

"I haven't thrown up today and I take that as a good sign that I won't. Ah ha." She said loudly, finally finding the earrings she wanted on the coffee table.

"You guys need a maid.." She whispered, putting in the earrings.

"I thought that's why you moved in." Guy joked.

"Very funny." She laughed, coming to sit at the counter, "So what time are your plans with Connie?"

"6. What time is Adam picking you up?" Guy asked, leaning on the counter to converse with his roommates.

"5:30. it's not a date." She reminded him sternly.

"Yeah, Adam's just had a crush on you for like 10 years." Fulton commented.

"No, he didn't. We're just friends." Julie reassured herself, while getting up to go take a shower and get changed.

"Yeah, sure." Fulton acknowledged with a chuckle. Guy tried to stay out of the conversation, sitting himself on the couch and propping his feet up against the far cushion to try to relax.

The soft shuffle of Dean's sneaker clad feet on the crisp grass of Minnesota U was overlapped by the talking of many college students. He'd spent most of the day looking for Ashlee on the large campus with no luck. He knew she'd be in the outside cafe around 3 before her last class, so that's where he headed. Glancing around to find her golden locks in the sea of people, he finally potted her at a table to his left. She was alone, an untouched cup of cappuccino to her left, a pen in her right hand to finish her English paper.

"Ash?" Dean asked softly to the back of the young woman's form. She immediately tensed in her seat. Her head slunk down to her chest before she sighed and turned on the concrete bench.

"Dean, what are you doing here?" She asked softly, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Ashlee, I came to tell you the truth, and probably beg for your forgiveness." He mumbled, willing himself to finally tell the truth to the woman sitting in front of him. He wanted to be with her, he wanted to spend his life with her. He sat down beside her and took her warm hands in his own. Looking up to meet her eyes with his own,

"Ashlee, Belle is..." He began, looking again into her blue orbs that stared back at him with anticipation. She was looking for an answer, her eyes moving rapidly between his, awaiting his answer. He couldn't handle her stare and instead diverted his eyes to the children playing across the street. One little boy climbed the jungle gym with much effort as it was four times as big as himself but he made it to the top. Dean was entranced by the little boy. The pause to Ashlee dragged on as she began to look down at the grass. Dean sighed, looking down at the ground to avoid getting attached to the small child. He couldn't do this. He couldn't lose her this way, granted he deserved it. She'd surely break up with him if he admitted he'd slept with someone behind her back and gotten that girl pregnant. To admit everything, he'd be proving Adam right and setting himself up to fall without anything to catch himself.

"Well?" Her voice broke his thoughts. "What's your excuse this time?" Ashlee's voice was mad but low in tone.

"Ashlee, Belle's a girl that ..." Nothing was coming to mind until he remembered Averman looking at him this morning when he and Ashlee had been fighting, "Belle's this girl that's got a crush on Averman." He said the first thing that he could think of, he'd just have to hope Averman would go along with it. Ashlee's eyes widened a bit.

"She wants to go out with Averman?" Ashlee asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah, it's the craziest thing and I got mad at you this morning because I didn't want Averman to find out." He whispered. Ashlee's face remained one of disbelief.

"Then why was she calling you about Planned Parenthood?" Ashlee continued to be skeptical. Dean looked down at the ground for another quick answer,

"Well, she was at a party with me a few weeks ago and got pretty drunk. I guess she slept with some guy and she just wanted to get herself checked out." He make up really fast. Ashlee continued to look at him skeptically,

"That's all?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, she's a good friend of mine." He confirmed with ease.

"Then why haven't I met her before?" Ashlee was still confused.

"Because I was afraid of just this, you being jealous and taking everything your Brother's been filling your head with to heart." He really was grasping at straws now. He looked up to her face for any change. It remained stern for a long moment before she sighed,

"No, Dean. I know Adam's just trying to break us up." She mumbled, "I'm sorry, I feel so stupid." He sighed with relief.

"No, no, don't be. I shouldn't have kept my friendship with Belle a secret." He nodded, taking her hands again in his.

"It sounds like she's got enough problems of her own; she doesn't need to deal with my insecurities." Ashlee whispered, "How sad, to not remember a period of time in your life." Ashlee mumbled, "I'm sorry." Her breathe was hot on his cold face as she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. He tried to smile but on the inside he felt bad for lying to her. His eyes caught again on the scene across the street. A young Father had appeared to collect the little boy from the play ground. Instead of going quietly, the little boy ran from his Father. The young man then had to chase the little boy around the playground. The child squealed with delight when he was finally caught and the Father smiled down at him with equal delight. A smile almost formed on his pale lips but he realized that that would never be him, at least not anytime soon.

"So I have a favor to ask you..." Ashlee whispered, gripping his hands in her own. "My Father's banquet dinner is tonight and I want you to go with me..." She tried to make it sound appealing as he was still distracted. What had he done in telling Belle it was okay to have an abortion? Was he changing his mind? Ashlee awaited his answer, picking up her coffee from the table to take a sip.

"Yeah, sure." Dean mumbled, not really hearing what she was saying.

"Great, so it's formal and I'll be over around 6:30 to your place?" She asked. Dean nodded absently, looking back down at the ground.

"Yeah, yeah, 6:30." He repeated, "Look, Ash, I forgot I have to wake Fulton up for work tonight." He said glancing down at his watch. 3:30, he read, pulling his sleeve back over the watch. If he hurried he could make it.

"Oh, Yeah, go before he's late." Ashlee nodded, letting go of his hand as he got up. Dean nodded, kissing her briefly on the lips before moving quickly across the lawn to where he parked his car.

The office was surprisingly quiet for a Friday afternoon, Charlie thought, leaving his office door open to the rest of the floor. No sign of Rita Taylor that day, Charlie thought with a sigh of relief, sitting down in his leather desk chair for a moment of relaxation in between meetings. Continuing his forgotten game of Solitaire from that morning, Charlie thought about what he would do that night. It was Friday night after all and he had promised Guy the apartment to himself for a while. No doubt Guy was trying to make up his foolishness to Connie. Looking down at the pictures on his desk, Charlie's mind wondered over the past few years. Coach Bombay and his Mom had finally gotten married, much to the delight of most of the team and Charlie himself. The Ducks had all gone their separate ways except for the few that still lived in the area. He really hadn't seen any of his old team since graduation from high school almost five years ago. Time really was flying by without any way of stopping it. Sighing out of boredom, Charlie leaned back in his chair to retrieve an old photo from his desk draw. The picture was definitely worn, when he pulled it from the depths of his bottom draw but it that didn't decrease its value. It was the only picture he had left of Linda, the only woman he could ever claim to have loved but like so many other things in his life, it fell apart with them not speaking after. He hadn't seen her since the day she told him she was leaving him and collected her things from his apartment. He'd become too obsessed with work, she'd said. All he wanted was to make a future for them but instead he pushed her away to work his way to the top of the company. That led him to where he was today. Replacing the picture in the draw, he closed it with a click before looking up.

"Excuse me? Mr. Conway?" He heard a voice he thought he'd never hear again in a million years from the doorway.

"Linda?" He asked, meeting the young woman's eyes with his own.

"Oh, I never thought it'd be you." She realized at the same time who she was looking at. "I'm the new intern for the account managers' position." She responded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with nervousness.

"Oh, great. I've been waiting to hear back from them as to who they were going to send." He tried to busy himself with work to overcome the shock of seeing her again.

"Yeah, I just started with the company a couple months ago." She nodded, coming to sit down across from him at his desk. He stopped what he was doing to watch her sit.

"Linda, I..." She immediately cut him off,

"Charlie, let's not do this, okay. I'm here to work and you're my boss. Let's just try to keep this as professional as we can." She reminded him. He cleared his throat at the realization she was correct in her thinking.

"Okay, Ms..." She cut him off again,

"It's Mrs. Larkin, well; it will be in two weeks." She smiled, looking down at her hand and the engagement ring that was placed on her hand. Charlie's mouth hung open at the idea of Linda marrying someone else. He never thought he'd see the day.

"Well..." He cleared his throat again, "Welcome to the team, Brian will show you your desk." Charlie motioned to his assistance just outside his office before Linda stood up.

"Thank you, I look forward to working with you." She nodded before exiting the office. Charlie watched her go before standing to shut his door; he didn't feel like dealing with anyone else that day.

"Come on!" Dean Portman yelled out his drivers' side window at the traffic blocking Park Ave, the only road leading into downtown. He glanced at his watch for the 18th time since he left Ashlee. It now read 3:47. He hit the steering wheel in frustration, this could not be happening. How could this be happening? Oh, right because he was a stupid moron that didn't think or care about others at all, he reminded himself with a grunt of anger.

"Move it!" He yelled again, honking the old horn on his 1976 impala. He was having a baby. Well, not him personally but his child had been created and he realized that damn the consequences, he wanted it. He had the chance to finally do the right thing in his life and be the Father that he never had growing up but that was only if he could get to the hospital in 10 minutes. He leaned his head down on the steering wheel again, trying to think of any other way to get through. He was out of ideas when finally the traffic started to move, a police officer had arrived to clean up the accident that was blocking the road.

"Oh, thank you, Officer Bacon." He commented, never being more respectful to law enforcement. He quickly moved with the traffic, his watch read 3: 53.

Connie stood at the mirror of her dressing room, her eyes were watering and her hands couldn't stop shaking from a cold that was non existent.

"Hey Cons, you're up in 5." Jake called from the door with a quick tap of the frame. Connie sighed, sitting down in her chair for a moment to try to compose herself. She needed to get it together and just go out there. Once she got one set done, she'd be able to relax for a little while in her dressing room before the next one. Taking a large gulp of water, Connie stood from the chair to walk out of the door. She was almost to the door when a stabbing sharp pain enveloped her entire right side, causing her to fall to her knees. She cried out, gripping her abdomen with her arms.

"Connie, you okay?" Jake asked from the other side of the door. She wanted to cry, the pain that was moving through her right now but she couldn't. She wouldn't sacrifice another day of work.

"I'm fine." She whispered, trying her best to conceal the anguish in her voice.

"Okay, well you're up sweetheart." He mumbled from the other side of the door. Connie tried to stand, her knees felt like Jell-O.

"I'm coming." She whispered, trying not to cry out again as she make herself stand straight. Hardening her face to the pain, she finished her walk to the door and opened it with a deep breathe. Jake looked down at her, a look of worry crossing his face,

"You okay?" He asked again.

"Fine, let's do this." She mumbled, moving to walk in front of him so he couldn't see how much pain she was in.

The street clock just above the Planned Parenthood clinic read 3:59 when Dean Portman pulled into the almost empty parking lot. Not even bothering to lock the beast up, he threw his keys in his pocket and ran for the front door of the building. Swinging open the heavy metal door, he almost fell in his urgency to get in. The receptionist looked on with a curious expression on her face.

"Belle Montgomery…. I'm the Father..." He breathed out between gasps of air for his run into the building. The woman rolled her eyes slightly before looking down at her attendance log. It wouldn't be the first time she'd had an expected father rush in here to try to change the mind of the mother. How heroic, she thought with a chuckle.

"She's in 4C but they may have already started." She yelled after him, he had sprinted through the heavy wooden doors to the back of the clinic. Dean's eyes scanned the outside of each door looking for the correct number of the room.

"4C." He mumbled to himself, running farther down the hall. He almost toppled over a nurse with his tall form as he bound for the last door in the hall.

"Belle?" He cried out, throwing open the door. Belle Montgomery sat on the edge of the soft cotton bed, her legs dangling off the side, her head in her hands.

"Dean?" She asked, trying to conceal the tears that were falling down her face at an uncontrollable rate.

"Belle, I know this is your decision and I can't tell you what to do but..." He hesitated, dropping to his knees in front of her. Looking up at her petite face, he cupped her cheeks in his large hands.

"Belle, I might not be what you imagined in the Father of your children and things might not always be perfect or be how you planned them but I realized today that I want this baby. It may be selfish of me to ask you to let this pregnancy continue but I want to know where it goes. I want to try to be a Father to this kid." He finished, taking her hands in his own. She looked down at their interlaced fingers and a new stream of tears began to fall.

"Dean, I…" She felt her throat constrict. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear what she'd say.

"Dean, I want this baby too." She finally breathed. He sighed, wrapping his arms around her in a hug.

"Let's get out of here, what do you say?" He asked, standing from the floor.

"Yeah, definitely." She conveyed, standing to grab her clothes from the chair and head for the bathroom. The door clicked shut before Portman ran his fingers through his hair. He wasn't sure of anything anymore, he wasn't sure of what he wanted but he was sure that he was doing the right thing for the first time in his life.

Guy was just finishing up preparing the dinner he had bought to apologize to Connie when the door bell rang.

"I'll get it!" Julie's voice sounded from her bedroom before she quickly made her way out to her living room. Guy looked over the counter expectantly for Connie to walk in but instead, Adam Banks stood at the door, dressed in his best suit, a jacket slung over his arm.

"Hey, Jules. I know I'm early." He mumbled, looking somewhat different to her in his black Armani tuxedo. Julie took a deep breath before responding,

"No, it's fine. Let me just grab my purse." She motioned to the bedroom before she moved down the hall. Adam watched her go, her hair all curled and fresh makeup on her face. He sighed before coming to stand at the counter with Guy.

"Hey, man, what's up?" He asked, setting his jacket down for a moment on the chair at the counter.

"Not much, just waiting for Connie." Guy mumbled under his breath as not to admit it was the second round of the Connie and Guy show. Adam laughed a little,

"I should have known the moment she stepped back into town you two would be back together. Can't stay away from each other?" He laughed slightly at the coincidence.

"Yeah, well, we're not back together." Guy snapped with frustration that Connie still hadn't arrived and he really needed to talk to her.

"Wow, Guy. Didn't mean to strike a chord." Adam commented, throwing up his hands in defense.

"You ready?" Julie asked from the hall, looking expectantly at Adam. She had her purse and a jacket now and motioned towards the door to stop the impending argument.

"Yeah, see you later, Guy." He commented, walking to the door before opening it for Julie to pass through, in typical gentlemanly fashion. Guy looked around the apartment before flinging the fork he had in his hand at the counter and walking in the other room to take a minute to think. _What was he going to say to her? How was he going to approach this topic? Did he bother him that she was stripper when they weren't even together anymore?_ Millions of questions flashed through his mind at one time before he covered his eyes with his hands. He had to get out of here, he had to go somewhere else to think, it was almost obvious that she wasn't going to show and if she did he wasn't sure he could talk to her anyways anymore considering his jumbled mind. Grabbing his jacket from the back of the couch, he turned off the oven and blew out the candles on the table before leaving the apartment.


	8. Chapter 8

The sun was just beginning to set outside the window of a small pizza restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. Dean stared at it intently for a long moment contemplating the day that had just been. This morning he had awoken with ideas for a better life with Ashlee and now he was sitting in the booth of the local pizza joint wondering how he could be a Father to a child he never planned on having. Only one thing was certain in his mind, he was going to try his best to be the Father he never had, even if he didn't plan on it. His eyes adjusted to the inside light when he turned away from the sun, small dots appeared on everything until his vision returned. He glanced down at his cell phone to check the time. It was 5:45, he still had some time before he had to meet Ashlee at the apartment. He could do this, he could have both, he'd just have to explain the situation to Belle and make sure they were on the same page. He wouldn't give up Ashlee but he wouldn't give up his child either. Ashlee would understand, she loved him, she said so herself. She would be there for him. Everything would work out in the end. His thoughts were interrupted by a mane of sandy brown hair sliding in across from him. Her hand brushed her lips with self- consciousness.

"Sorry, Did they bring the food yet?" She asked impatiently, taking a drink of water to clear her mouth of the residue of vomit.

"You know I never got that pregnancy thing." Dean seemed confused, "You can go from throwing up all the contents of your stomach to craving ice cream and turnips.." Belle began to laugh from across the table, her face turning red.

"It's pickles and ice cream.." She mumbled, in between hiccups of laughter. He just shrugged at the correction, the waiter arriving with their pizza at that moment and Belle's eyes lit up.

"Whatever. It's still gross. "Dean mumbled. She laughed again, her face lighting up with joy and laughter. For a moment the setting sun caught her eyes and set them aglow with a peaceful innocence. His mind remembered the night he'd spent with this girl and her eyes as they looked up at him in the pale moonlight of that dorm room. They were so innocent and trusting. He had misused that trust and taken her for granted. Dean turned away with disgust for himself at all that he'd done to this woman seated in front of him, and all that he would still do to her. He cleared his throat out of nervousness and grabbed a slice of pizza from the pan.

"So how do you want to tell your parents?" He asked, not looking up to meet her eyes. He didn't have to know they'd lost their shine at the mention of her parents.

"I don't know. They're going to be really mad." She groaned, before taking a bite of her pizza.

"Yeah but it's not like you can hide it forever." He reminded her. She nodded slightly with her mouth full.

"I know. I'm going to get fat." She mumbled.

"What about yours?" She asked, taking a bite of pizza. Dean looked down at his plate.

"It's just my Mom and little sister. I haven't seen them in a while, they live in Chicago." He said looking out the window again. He hadn't thought about them in a while. He looked back at her again to find her eyes scanning the floor in nervousness.

"Dean, are we going to tell them you're the Father?" She asked. He looked down at the pizza in his hand before setting it back on the plate.

"If you want to, I'm probably not gonna call my mom yet."

"But are you going to be there for me full time or can I plan on an on the weekend Dad?" She tried to smile at the comment but felt her stomach drop out from under her. Portman didn't really know how to answer the question at first thought. He hadn't thought about the fact that he wouldn't be living with the mother of his child to help raise it.

"Belle, I don't know how this is going to work out. I hadn't really thought about any of this until today." She nodded, suddenly disinterested in her pizza. She felt like she could thrown up again.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that would be how it was." She nodded, glancing casually out the window closest to them. Dean watched her eyes move before sighing deeply,

"Listen, if you want me to be there with you when you tell your parents, I'll do that but I'm not going to give up my whole life to take care of this child." His face was stern when she glanced back at him. "You admitted yourself that you don't have any feelings for me and I love Ashlee." He reminded her. She nodded slightly, only half agreeing with the comment. her feeling had changed after he burst into that clinic room today.

"Right, you just sit back, do whatever it is you do and I'll take care of this baby. Our child. I'll drop out of college and I'll get my own place but I can tell you one thing, Dean Portman, if that's the way you planned on it being then you might as well leave now and not come back. I know I'm going to be on my own for this but back there at the clinic I thought for once I'd have someone to lean on. I can take care of myself just fine and this baby." Belle stood fast from her seat and raced out the front door, slamming the glass back against the front of the building. The few people that occupied seats in the small area turned to look at him before he dropped the money on the table and chased after Belle, into the darkening night air.

"So where are we going?" The words drifted from the softly painted pale pink lips of Julie Gaffney as she broke the silence in Adam's blue Chevy Monte Carlo. He smiled to himself with satisfaction that he'd actually stumped the valedictorian with his random driving skills.

"You'll see." He mumbled more to himself, taking a left hand turn down another street. Julie sat back in her seat, her eyes curiously watching the passing stores. "So what were you thinking of wearing tonight?" Adam asked, readjusting his grip on the steering wheel to keep his eyes from wondering to the beautiful girl seated next to him. She seemed to have a glow to her tonight that he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Julie shrugged in response to the question, glancing again out her window to the buildings flying by.

"I don't know; something not too expensive."

"Don't worry about money, Jules. I told you this was on me." He cut her off before she could continue. She smiled, looking down at the floor of the car and her sneaker clad feet. She really didn't want to lead him on that this was going anywhere other than friendship but she liked the feeling of being special. She hadn't felt it in a long time. Her hand reached up to tuck a stray piece of soft blonde hair behind her ear, Adam's eyes following her every move before a tickle in his throat caused him to clear it and return his eyes to the road.

"Here we are." Adam sighed with relief before he turned the wheel to pull off the road. They were in front of a small formal dress boutique that Julie knew quite well.

"Adam, no, I can't go in there looking like this." She exclaimed but her protests fell on deaf ears. Adam was out of the car and rounding the side to open her door before she could formulate a response as to why she couldn't go in here.

"Adam, no." She pleaded, his hand resting on her to help her out of the car.

"Come on, I'm sure they have something you can wear to the party." He smiled,

"Adam..." She groaned once more before letting him lead her towards the front door. The store appeared darkened as they approach, Julie let out a sigh of relief.

"See, Banks. It's closed." She nervously resorted to his high school nickname, trying to pull him back towards the car. She really didn't want to be here, this store was way too fancy for her to go into. "Let's just go somewhere else." She asked, hoping he'd agree.

"Hold on." Adam laughed a little, "Just give me a minute." He tapped lightly on the window before a small light in the back of the shop came on. A petite blonde walked from the back and waved politely at the couple standing at the door.

"Mr. Banks, We've been expecting you. Come right in." Julie hesitated before Adam placed his hand on the small of her back and ushered her into the awaiting door.

"Relax, everything's going to be fine." He assured her, whispering in her ear. She took a deep breath before the door closed behind them.

The lights felt hot on her bare skin, Connie could feel the heat resonate through the thin fabric of her top. Running her hands down the front of her body, the men in the front row of the stage whistled with excitement. She could hear them faintly but her mind was elsewhere. The pain in her abdomen had receded somewhat but had not entirely disappeared and each move she made continued to make it worse. Her finger tips grazed the cool metal pole behind her and she gripped it to keep herself steady. Jake stood just off stage, his eyes moving with her body and watching her intently. He knew something wasn't right; she'd been off for the past few days and it wasn't just a cold she was hiding from him. Connie met his stare before turning back to the paying customers to finish her song. She stepped forward in the bright lights, blocking her eye sight from viewing anyone that might be in the crowd that night. Removing the last article of her clothing, the lights came down and she was left staring in the shocked face of Guy Germaine. Her chest rose and fell with exhaustion but her mind was completely frozen.

"Guy?" She managed to breathe out just before he turned away in disgust. She quickly threw on a robe that was handed to her from one of the security guards and raced after him.

"Guy!" She yelled, following him towards the door. The music was coming up for another girl to take the stage when he turned to her.

"Why?" He asked simply, a hurt expression now evident in his blue eyes. She'd seen those eyes many times before but never with the look he was giving her now.

"Guy, I didn't have a choice!" She pleaded before he turned to walk out the door. She followed him into the alley way, her heels clicking on the hard pavement.

"Why? Connie, you could have done something different! You could have told me what was going on!" He began to raise his voice to the night sky. Her eyes began to tear up at his hash voice.

"Guy, I wanted to! I really did but everything was happening so fast and we had broken up! Guy, I did what I thought was best for the situation!" She began to yell back, feeling all the blood leave her face.

"Connie, you could have gotten a job somewhere else! You didn't have to sell yourself!" He wanted to rush towards her and crush her in his arms. To protect her from this world and all those men in that club. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her and couldn't stand the idea of any other man touching her or even seeing her the way they did on that stage.

"Guy, it's not like that! I never sleep with any of the customers. I'm not a whore!" She couldn't believe the words that we flying out of her mouth at that moment. Her head was spinning in every direction.

"No, Connie. I didn't mean it like that." Guy tried to explain but Connie was too angry to listen.

"No, Guy. I know what you meant but this is me! I've never tried to be anything different but that, but obviously that's not enough!" She shook her head in disappointment. "I love you, Guy Germaine but if you can't see passed all this, the lights, the makeup, the men and make a choice about us, about our future, then you're not the guy I fell in love with." She finished her sentence before walking back in the building and out of the cold night air. Guy stood there for a moment letting her words sink in. He sighed deeply before looking up at the night sky and beginning to walk towards the only place in town that he could think. He knew it would be deserted this time of night.

Jake was waiting as Connie re-entered the club with a small streak of tears running down her heavily painted cheeks.

"Who was that?" He asked, motioning towards the door she returned from. She shook her head for a moment,

"That's the Father of my son." She admitted before the room began to spin and her world went black.

The apartment building was quiet as Averman made his way up the third flight of stairs towards his apartment room door. He knew Guy and Connie were supposed to be there but he figured he'd just shuffle off to his room like he did every other Friday night and read a book or something until the living room was free to watch television. Reaching the door he heard no sound from the other side and silently wondered if they'd decided to go out to eat instead before he moved to unlock the door. His hand reached for the lock when the door suddenly opened, much to the surprise of Les Averman. Ashlee Banks stood in the doorway, a look of anger and hurt appearing on her face but immediately falling away to a look of disappointment.

"Sorry." She mumbled, turning her back to him with a slouch of her shoulders. "I thought you were Dean." He barely heard her as she moved across the room to sit back at the counter. Averman stepped into the apartment, a hesitation in his step.

"Ashlee, are you here by yourself?" He asked looking down the darken hallway towards the collection of closed doors. She nodded, turning her face away from his and towards the dark large picture window at the far end of the living room.

"How'd you get in?" He asked, taking off his scarf to hang in the hall closet.

"The door was unlocked." Her voice cracked as she spoke. Averman stopped immediately at the sound of her voice. She was crying, Dean made her cry again. He softly punched the wall next to him before closing the closet door again.

"Ashlee, what's wrong?" He asked, coming around the counter at the kitchen to look at her. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and her makeup was smeared but Averman still thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world. Looking from her face to her choice of clothing Averman became confused.

"Ashlee, why are you all dressed up?" He asked, viewing her long silver dress and strappy heels. She let out a loud sob before collapsing in his waiting arms. He didn't know exactly how to react to this new side of Ashlee Banks but he soon became confortable holding her to him as she cried.

"Dean lied to me again." She managed to get out, bringing her head up from his shoulder to look into his eyes. He sighed, holding her head against his chest to let her tears continue to fall. "I needed him to come to this party with me tonight. To prove to my Father and Brother that Dean is really trying to straighten his life out and that they don't need to worry about me so much." She reasoned with hopelessness in her voice.

"It's okay, I'm sure he's just running late." Averman tried to reason, patting her on the back of the head in a comforting manner.

"No, he's not. He lied again and I'm the fool that believed him." She moved from the stool towards the window, her heels clicking on the wood floor. Averman watched her body move, the curve of her hips on the tight fitting dress. He really loved her, he thought, trying to clear his mind and focus on taking care of Ashlee now when she needed him.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what to say besides that." Averman confessed, sitting on the stool she had vacated.

"I can't go to that party alone. It will just prove everyone right. I really am a stupid girl." Her head hung low to her chest, a few tears escaping down her nose.

"No," Averman shook his head. "You are not stupid. You're Ashlee Banks, you were doing math competitions with guys from my grade when we were in high school." He reminded her. She laughed slightly,

"Well, I am a Banks. I don't settle for second best." She chuckled, looking down at the street below.

"You shouldn't." He whispered, stopping his sentence before he said something he couldn't take back. She sighed, moving her hand up her bare arm towards her shoulder.

"Averman, will you do me a favor?" She asked, not looking at him but continuing to stare out the window.

"Sure, whatever you need." He nodded, hoping it was just a glass of water or a jacket or something. She turned to him, her eyes seeming to plead with him before he even knew why.

"Do you own a suit?" She asked, her eyes watching him intently. He smiled nervously, looking down at the floor. Dean was going to kill him but right now he didn't really care.

"Ashlee..." He hesitated. Her eyes pleaded.

"Please, Ave. I can't go to this party by myself. I'll look like such a fool." She protested. He couldn't say no to her with her eyes looking like that. He sighed.

"Yeah, I'll go get dressed." He sighed, meeting her eyes again. She smiled, jumping forward to throw her arms around his neck. He wasn't prepared to take her weight and they collided with a small laugh, Ashlee's face just mere centimeters from his face.

"Thank you, Averman." She whispered, her bright blue eyes returning their sparkle. He chuckled nervously

"I'll just go get changed." He laughed again, letting go of her and standing her back on her feet. Ashlee stood back up and watched him go, moving down the hall to his room. He sighed once inside and leaned his back against the door.

"Jeez, Portman, don't come home yet." He whispered before moving fast to his closet to get his suit out.

Dean and Belle sat on the only bench at the pond by the diner, a significant space placed between them. Her eyes looked in the opposite direction, watching the sun finish setting off in the distance; she seemed unfazed of the man seated behind her. Dean sighed with frustration.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a spoiled brat?" Dean asked, looking to the girl seated next to him.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a real ass?" She asked, almost mocking him with her attitude. He sighed, standing from the bench to stand in front of her.

"I don't have time to play games with you! You're ridiculous." He yelled, turning away from her. She didn't seem to care, readjusting her body on the bench.

"You can go. We don't need you!" Belle stated, wrapping her sweater more tightly around herself in the wind from the half frozen water. Dean turned to look at her and sighed.

"Jeez." He sighed, taking off his jacket and handing it to her. She looked at it for a moment before looking up him. "Take it. It's getting cold." He mumbled. Belle reached up to take it and wrapped it around her shoulders, letting the scent drift up to her nose. She tried to not let Dean see her action and tried to act like it didn't matter.

"The baby thanks you." Her voice was low. Dean shrugged,

"What about you. Am I still an ass?" He asked. Belle shrugged, finally standing from the bench and fitting her arms through the sleeves.

"Dean, please just be honest with me now. If you don't want anything to do with this child then just take me home and that will be that or make a decision on what you want." She whispered, stepping close to him. Dean looked down at her; she looked tiny in his large jacket. Glancing down at his watch, he sighed, It was nearly 7, he could still make it home to go to Ashlee's party or he could decided to stay with Belle, here and figure out how they were going to take care of this child. He looked off into the sunset again and made up his mind. Looking down at Belle, Dean took her hand in his,

"Come on; let's talk about what we're going to do." Dean said beginning to walk out of the park and taking her with his.

Julie stood at the mirror in her dressing room, trying on the last dress she'd picked out. Nothing fit anymore, the baby bump was more than evident now and she'd gained at least a dress size if not more around the middle. How did this happen in the last two weeks. She was only 14 weeks in. She thought you didn't start to gain weight until your 18th week. Finally getting the dark blue sequined dress to zip up, she turned to the mirror for a finally approval. Surprisingly, her stomach was well hidden under the dark fabric except when she turned to the side, but she could hide that with a wrap. Draping the lacy fabric of a wrap around her shoulders, she looked herself over in the long mirror. Who would have guessed Adam would bring her to the only dress shop in Minneapolis that happened to be managed and owned by Scooter's Mother, Beatrice. An anniversary present from Scooter's Father six years before, Julie could remember this very dressing room and picking out her prom dress here as well as most of the formal dresses that hung in her closet at home. Her mind stopped mid sentence, her home was no longer with Scooter but with the only men she could ever really count on. The ducks were her home. She stared again at the small pouch and rested a hand on it with love. She would do her best to be the best mother she could be, even if this baby never knew its Father.

"Jules? Are you coming out? I want to see!" Adam's voice broke her concentration and she took a deep breath in. Luckily, Beatrice had not been at the store tonight, no doubt she had a Friday night bridge game or something to attend to.

"Come on, I want to see which one you choose." Adam's voice was filled with playfulness and laughter. Julie sighed to herself, at least Adam didn't know her little buddle of joy hid below her tightly wrapped arms. She'd just have to watch how she stood tonight. Looking herself over once more before she opened the door, she silently approved. Adam stepped back to let her out of the dressing room and felt a moment of shock passed through him. He knew she was beautiful but the woman standing in front of him was more than beautiful, she was gorgeous. She had a glow about her that made Adam want to smile with happiness as he took in her appearance from head to toe. She'd gained a bit of weight in the middle but he thought nothing of it. She was probably stressed eating from the break-up with Scooter and living with the guys wasn't helping, all they ate was pizza and wings.

"You look amazing,." He commented, still in awe of her beauty. She smiled, tucking that stray bit of hair again behind her ear.

"Thank you, Adam."

"Are you ready, it's just about that time?" He asked, extending his hand to her. She collected her clothes from the changing room and gripped his hand in her own. Glancing up at his eyes, she couldn't help but smile. He made her feel safe and that was something she hadn't felt in a long time.


	9. Chapter 9

Fulton felt the cold air of the frozen ice hit face with the breeze as he entered the arena through the back door. A bouquet of red roses were gripped in his right hand, his bag slung over the other shoulder. Today was a great day, he had decided, a smile forming on his lips. The hallway was completely vacant as he moved through them to his office at the end of the hall. On his way, he passed the room Tammy had occupied the last time she was there for practice. The door was shut tightly but a light escaped from the crack under and a shadow passed by. He smiled to himself, thinking he'd come back to surprise her with the roses. Finally reaching his office a moment later, he threw his bag on the desk and gave a quick glance over the camera monitors once before the door behind him opened. Fulton looked up at the man standing in the doorway, a muscular guy dressed all in black stared back at him.

"Can I help you?" Fulton asked, looking the man up and down. The man continued to look around the office.

"This is the security office, you can't be in here." He quickly said, motioning for the man to leave. The man hesitated for a moment before backing out the door and closing it behind him. Fulton scoffed slightly, moving to put his bag in the closet. He reached for the door handle, when it opened abruptly and a finely polished hand reached out to grab his shirt and pull him in. He was slammed back against the wall of the darkened room before the light switched on. Tammy Duncan's face looked back at him, her eyes red from crying,

"What's wrong?" He asked, immediately dropping his bag to the floor and taking her in his arms.

"My mother... She's being a real jerk." Tammy mumbled against his chest, noticing the flowers in his hand.

"Are those for me?" She asked a surprised tone in her voice. He looked down with a shrug,

"Yeah, it's not much."

"No, they're beautiful." She smiled, taking the flowers to look at them.

"They're my favorite color... Thank you, Fulton." She said coming closer to him. He smiled at her, wrapping a protective arm around her waist to pull her closer before their lips met in a passionate kiss. They pulled apart after a moment for air.

"So why are we hanging out in the security closet?" He asked before she laughed at the situation.

"Because my Mom's a psycho bitch." She explained without missing a beat. Fulton had to laugh.

"Okay... and that involves this situation how?" He tried to connect the statement with the question.

"After our little all nighter last night, she's decided I need extra supervision and hired me not one but two bodyguards." She sighed. Fulton sighed too, running a hand through his overgrown hair.

"Okay, did you tell her that I was with you last night and you were perfectly fine?" He asked. Tammy threw her hands in the air.

"That just made her get two instead of one." Tammy sighed again, leaning against his firm chest.

"What are we going to do, these guys are completely under my Mom's control and she definitely doesn't want me to go out with you anymore?" Fulton took her head in his hands and tilted it up to his face.

"It's going to be okay, we'll just talk to her. I mean it's not like you're a teenager anymore and she can't order you around." Fulton reminded her. Tammy nodded slightly,

"Yeah but she does anyway."

"You can't let her." Fulton eyed her sternly.

"I know but she's my Mother. What am I supposed to do?"

"I know." Fulton nodded taking her hand in his. "Let's go talk to her now and get everything straightened out."

"Okay, maybe you'll have better luck with her than me." Tammy hoped, opening the door to let them both out. Fulton took her hand in his and closed the door behind them.

Her eyes weren't open but her mind knew that a bright light was located just above her head shining down on her with scrutiny. Connie groaned, her body aching with a stiffness that she hadn't felt since 7th grade hockey practice. When she had really been out of shape and kind of pudgy if you asked her. Her eyes focused on the blinding light above her and trailed to the white walls all around her. The room seemed to be absent of all color. It took her a few moments for her mind to register the fact that she was no longer in the club but a hospital room with white curtains all around her, not walls after all. She tried to sit up but was unable to, a sharp pain running through her body from her right side.

"Easy. It's okay." A voice whispered behind her, lightly touching her shoulder. She groaned with defeat and laid back down on the soft mattress to breathe.

"Where am I?" She asked, keeping her eyes closed.

"You're at the hospital." The voice she now recognized as Jake's said. She sighed, taking a deep breath in but failing to let it out.

"I need to get out of here. I need to get back to work. I can't be here." She mumbled, trying again to sit up. Jake put his hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down to the bed.

"No, I don't think so. You're going to stay here until you're better or at least until we can figure out what happened to you." He assured her. She shook her head,

"No, Jake, I don't have any insurance. I can't pay for this." She reminded him. He nodded,

"Don't worry about that. I got that." He reassured her before brushing the hair from her forehead. Sweat had started to appear there from her struggle to sit up. She closed her eyes to his cool touch, the first gentleness she'd felt that day.

"Jake, what's wrong with me, what happened?" She asked, fearful of the answer, her throat getting dry.

"I don't know, the doctors are running some tests, you passed out after your argument with that guy." Jake answered. The memories suddenly came back to Connie and she held her head in her hands.

"Oh, Guy. Does he know I'm here?" She asked, worry flashing on her face. Jake shook her head no before standing from the bed.

"I hate to leave you but I have to go to some stupid family thing tonight and there's no way to get out of it. Is there anyone I can call to come stay with you?" Connie thought for a moment but no one came to mind,

"No, I'll be fine, just leave the phone close." Connie asked. Jake nodded, placing the receiver at her right side table before grabbing his coat.

"I'll be back soon to check on you." He said as he left the room. Connie nodded in acknowledgement before the door closed. Her eyes drifted back up to the panels of the ceiling tile before she fell back into a deep slumber with thoughts of Guy running through her head.

The banquet hall was crowded and packed to the brim with people when Ashlee and Averman entered through the front door to the strange looks of the current guests.

"Wow," Averman's mouth hung open at the elaborate decorations that grazed the hall walls. A large banner with the Banks Company logo hung from the ceiling of the entrance. Ashlee groaned with annoyance.

"I see Dad went all out to impress his investors again." Ashlee sighed with annoyance, shaking her head.

"Hey, at least he didn't hire the clown, now that would have been a great party." Averman suggested with a grin on his face. Ashlee let a laugh escape her lips before they reached the refreshment table. Averman managed to grab two glasses of white wine from the table and handed one to Ashlee,

"My Lady." He mumbled. She smiled at the gesture, looping her arm around his.

"I'm glad you came tonight." She confided, moving back through the crowd to find someone she knew to converse with. Averman felt his cheeks heat up,

"I'm glad you asked me." He whispered, taking a large gulp from his glass before following the petite blonde through the crowd.

Adam Banks ran around the car to open the door for Julie but she was already half way out of the car when he reached it. She laughed when he almost bumped into her but instead ended up holding her close to him.

"Sorry, I was coming to get the door." He explained, a nervousness in his voice Julie didn't often hear from him.

"No, I'm just not used to it." She whispered, turning away from his face to move from the open door. Scooter lost interest in opening doors for her a while ago. Adam cleared his throat before stepping back to let her out and close the door behind her. He handed his keys to valet and wrapped a protective arm around her waist to led her into the foyer. Julie felt slightly uncomfortable before relaxed against his touch_.__ This was supposed to be a friendly night out_, she thought silently.

"Adam, I..." Julie started but was cut off by Ashlee and Averman cutting through the crowd to meet them with excitement.

"Adam! You will not believe with Mrs. Carmichael decided to wear this year." Ashlee laughed hysterically, trying to cover her mouth as people around them stared.

"It looks like a form of art on her head." Averman added to Julie, producing a laugh from her tightened face. Adam peaked over the crowd to spot the 50 -some woman cutting a track on the dance floor. Her dress way to tight and her hat blowing in the breeze. He wanted to laugh but the absence of a certain man at his sister's side stopped him from doing so.

"Ash, where's Dean?" He asked, trying not to sound accusing. Ashlee's face changed,

"I don't know, Adam. And I don't really care." She sounded resound in her thinking before pulling Averman back to her side, "Averman is my date tonight and I'm having more fun than I ever have." She tried to contain the laughter before burying her head in Averman's shoulder to laugh again.

"She's had a little bit to drink." Averman whispered over her head. Adam nodded, knowing full well that when his sister decided to drink it was usually because she was upset about something and she wanted to forget about it.

"Just keep an eye on her." Adam motioned to Averman before grabbing Julie's hand to lead her farther in to the crowd.

Charlie walked slowly up the familiar driveway, a slightly nervous feeling in his hands as he reached for the door handle before remembering this wasn't his house anymore. Reaching back, he knocked slightly on the wooden frame and waited for a response. The familiar jag sat in the driveway followed by an older station wagon behind it. He chuckled to himself that his mother would not get rid of that old thing. Charlie sighed with a shake of his head before the door behind him opened slightly,

"Charlie!" Gordon Bombay exclaimed, opening the door to let him in. "Your Mom's just in the den working on her new painting." Gordon commented, sitting back on the couch to collect his law books that were shrewed all over the furniture.

"Sorry about the mess, I've got a case I've been doing some research for." He said, piling the books on the coffee table. The latest hockey game was on the plasma TV, it was Friday after all.

"So, how you been?" Gordon asked, finally cleaning a place for Charlie to sit. He accepted, sitting across from his step-Father.

"Good, things are good." Charlie commented, looking down at his feet. "How's things here?" He asked, looking around the living room. He could hardly tell Coach even lived her, his mother hadn't changed a thing since he moved out.

"Good, We're getting by. Your mother sold her first painting last week." Gordon seemed to nod with pride. Charlie did too.

"And the guys? Anything new?" He asked,

"They're good. Fulton just got a promotion at his job. He's all excited because Tammy's back in town." Charlie commented with a laugh. Gordon shook his head in acknowledgement.

"I heard that, you'll have to have them stop by sometime. I'd love to catch up." Charlie nodded, letting him know he would pass the message along. Casey Conway-Bombay came walking out of the den at the sound of her son's voice filling the living room.

"Charlie, I thought that was you." Casey said, coming around the corner to hug her son. Charlie smiled,

"Hey Mom." Charlie wrapped his arms around his mother's small form before returning to his seat on the couch.

"Are you hungry? Did you eat today?" Casey immediately went into her Mom mode, deciding to feed her son, he did look a little thin. Charlie nodded,

"Yeah, I had a burger at the diner earlier. I'm fine."

"Oh, that's not food. I'll make you something." Casey nodded before disappearing from the room. Charlie sighed but didn't say anything , returning to his seat and clasping his hands together.

"So, what's going on?" Gordon asked his face soft with concern. He always knew when there was something Charlie needed to talk about.

"Not much, I got that promotion at work a few weeks back, but then Linda shows up to take my old job and things have gotten a bit uncomfortable to say the least." Charlie finished in one sentence without taking a breath. Gordon sighed,

"Well, that's something. Did you talk to her?" Gordon asked.

"Yeah, I'm her boss now and on top of that, she decided to announce her engagement to this private investigator. The guy seems shady to me." Charlie sighed leaning back on the couch and putting his hands to his head. Gordon nodded, understanding.

"Well, did you try to talk to her about the two of you?" He asked.

"Yeah, she completely avoided the conversation." Charlie sighed, leaning forward again and resting his elbows on his knees.

"Oh, well, it is work so maybe just try to move on. Don't want to confuse the two, you know?" Gordon suggested, returning his daze to the hockey game. Charlie sighed, he'd been confusing work and his social life for months now that it seemed his life was his work and his work was his life. Charlie's eyes wandered to the TV as well, a hint of something baking coming from the kitchen. Charlie sighed again, allowing his mind to think over the past few days. He was just thinking about Linda when Casey re-entered the room with some fresh muffins on a plate.

"Here we are, now eat up before they get cold. I put a roast in the oven for dinner, you'll stay right?" Casey suggested, setting the plate in front of him. Charlie looked over at Gordon with a knowing glance before leaning forward to take a muffin.

"Thanks, Mom. I'll stay for dinner." He responded with a loving smile.

Guy Germaine sat on the vacant park bench overlooking the half frozen lake. His mind wasn't on the sight in front of him but on a certain brunette he left standing in the cold night air, crying. He lowered his eyes to the ground with disdain for himself. How could he do that to her? She hadn't told him want she was doing because she knew how he'd react. He didn't even let her explain. He was no better than she was for lying to him. He groaned with angry, punching the bench with his fist before standing to pace the length of the pond. This was the pond where they fell in love. This was the pond that tied all of them together. He had to get out of here, he thought before walking off towards the apartment.

Connie lay in her soft white bed, enjoying the feeling of a mattress below her when the door opened behind her to reveal a man in a white lab coat.

"Ms. Moreau?" he asked politely. She nodded, trying to sit up. "No, it's okay, you can stay laying. I have your blood test results here." He said, pulling up a chair to sit with her. She knew it was bad when they sat down to explain the situation. She braced herself for his words.

"Ms. Moreau, we did find the reason for your sickness. It seems you've contracted Hepatitis C, it's an STD that's passed by interact with an infected person. Usually by intercourse or needle sharing." The doctor looked down at her with sympathy in his eyes. Connie absorbed the news. She took a deep breath in trying to remember how she could have gotten such a disease.  
"Is it fatal?" She asked, not bringing herself to say the words she was dying. The doctor looked down.

"Not anymore, fatalities are in the hundreds but not from the disease itself but the side effects. We're going to start a high dose of antibiotics immediately but the real threat here is how far it's progressed already." Connie looked at him worried, not really believing the words that were coming out of his mouth.

"So, am I...?" She questioned before the doctor spoke up.

"No, here's the situation. The infection has reached your liver. The majority of patients that fall to this disease die from liver failure. Now, you're liver from the test we ran it operating at about 75% functional. So we really don't need to worry about that unless it drops below 50%, in that case, we'd need to discuss a transplant, after we've cured the disease of course." Connie looked up at the ceiling with worry as the doctor stood from his chair.

"Here's a packet of information on HC and if you have any questions please buzz the nurse to page me. I'll be sending in your first round of meds in about an hour with your dinner." She nodded before he left the room, a single tear falling from her eye. How had this happened to her? it was just her luck, she reasoned, rolling over away from the door to cry.

The blue of Julie's eyes sparkled in the ballroom light, Adam silently noted, zoning out the mindless chatter that was going on around them. All that existed to him was her. She was great at pretending to be interested in a conversation, when talking with his parents or other stuffed shirts. She laughed at all the right moments, she blushed at the exact right time and she pretended to be appalled at the bad business dealings his Father had fallen into. She was perfect.

"Adam?" Her voice cut into his thoughts and he blushed to hide his confusion in his distraction.

"I'm sorry, I was thinking of something else." He answered, receiving a disappointing look from his Mother.

"We were talking about your promotion." Julie exclaimed, touching his forearm with her small hand in a caring fashion. He momentarily forgot where he was.

"Um, yes. My promotion." Adam exclaimed, regaining his composure.

"It sounds exciting." Julie tried to remain engrossed in the conversation but found her eyes scanning the room. Everyone was inquiring about the woman on Adam Banks arm. Adam had never showed up with a lady, people were starting to wonder if he was either gay or not interested. She smiled casually to herself, not noticing the eyes that were watching her from the bar. It seemed everyone had taken a glance at her to inquire why she was so special. The man staring at her took another gulp of his drink. He'd been seated there since they arrive into the main ballroom, he couldn't believe she was here, to process that she was here with Banks, was something entirely different. He watched Adam's hand graze her back in a loving fashion and his grip tightened on his glass. How dare she be out with him. She should have been at home, crying because he kicked her and her kid out. Her laugh broke his thoughts and he scowled before standing from the stool. He had to get some fresh air before he punched something.

A shriek of laughter caused Averman to hide embarrassingly away from his date. Ashlee was out of control, she'd consumed at least 6 glasses of wine and she was now trying to dance in the center of the dance floor by herself. Averman has followed her to try to get her to have a seat but instead got sucked into the dance. Averman pulled her to him to try to get control of the situation,

"Ashlee, let's go outside to get some air." He suggested. She giggled slightly,

"Oh, Averman, Am I pretty?" She asked with a sigh. Averman smiled slightly,

"No, Ashlee." He mumbled watching her face fall. "You're beautiful." He mumbled, touching her face with his hand. She leaned into the embrace with a small smile.

"Averman, you want to get out of here?" She asked, motioning to the door.

"Sure." He gestured, leading them to the door. Anywhere would be better than here with all those eyes watching, he thought, grabbing her sweater from the chair as they passed.

Tammy gripped Fulton's hand in her own as she nervously looked down the hall before walking out of the security office they'd been huddled in the past few minutes. Her gripped tightened when she saw one of the hired apes coming around the corner. He seemed to see her too and increased his stride.

"Ms. Duncan. Please come with me. You're Mother has been worried about you." He tried to grab Tammy's arm but she pulled away.

"I can walk on my own!" She snapped, Fulton pulling her behind him.

"Relax, we were just on our way to see Mrs. Duncan now." Fulton reassured the man. He seemed to nod and motioned for them to move. Fulton kept Tammy in front of him and away from the man handling goon that her mother sent to find her. The dressing room was just a few feet up when the other man appeared from within the doorway and opened it for them. Tammy gripped Fulton's hand tighter and pulled him in the room behind her. Mrs. Duncan sat on the couch, flipping through a skating magazine in which Tammy was on the cover. She looked up at them, her eyes almost going into slits and slammed the magazine down on the couch to stand.

"I see our talk this afternoon when in one ear and out the other?" Her Mother sneered with contempt. Fulton stood up taller,

"Mother, you can't tell me who I can and can't see. Fulton came here to try to make things right with you." Tammy said glancing up at Fulton with a smile. Her mother continued to sneer and look upon Fulton as dirt.

"Mrs. Duncan..." He said reaching his hand out to shake hers. She ignored it, crossing her arms over her chest. "I just wanted to come and apologize for keeping Tammy out so late last night without calling. I'm sure you were worried and I won't let that happen again." He promised, even though it seemed like he was 16 again and asking for permission to date Tammy. Tammy smiled at him for reassurance before looking back at her Mother.

"Damn right it will not happen again because she won't be going out with you again." Her Mother promised, looking to Tammy to agree. Tammy's eyes almost tearing up.

"Mother, I like Fulton..." She tried to explain. Her mother cut her off before she could even get another word out.

"Enough, I think we should be concentrating on the show tonight instead of dealing with ridiculously foolish talk as this. You won't be seeing her again, Fulton and as for tonight, you will leave this dressing room or I will have you escorted out. You have a job to do, don't you?" Mrs. Duncan asked, looking down at his security jacket. He cleared his throat to argue when Tammy squeezed his hand. He looked to the two idiots behind him ready to beat him to a pulp and realized he better listen to Tammy for now and let it go.

"Right, but this is not over." He promised the older woman who now had a smile on her face.

"Oh, I guarantee you, it is." She promised, watching him leave the office. Once the door was shut she looked to Tammy with a look of determination. Tammy huffed but didn't try to argue, going into the bathroom and slamming the door. Her Mother watched her go before sitting back down on the couch and resuming her reading, a small smile on her face.


	10. Chapter 10

The night sky shown midnight blue with the exception of a few twinkling stars to light the dimly lit path to which Les Averman and Ashlee Banks had decided to follow from the party. Ashlee's feet stumbled in front of her and she giggled like a small child each time Averman caught her just before she fell.

"Opps..." She whispered before a small burp escaped her still very painted lips. "Excuse me.." She laughed. If you had told Averman this was how his dream date with one Ashlee Lynn Banks would turn out, he'd have passed and moved on but he was here with her and he wasn't about to leave her in the current state she was in.

"Ashlee, I think we should be heading home soon..." Averman whispered into her ear as he set her straight up for the 10th time since they'd left the party. She giggled at the touch of his breath on her uncovered ear.

"No, Avery, I'm not ready to go home yet..." She slurred before taking off her high heels to run for the awaiting park to their left. Averman sighed, following her into the grass area. Averman was is no hurry to follow her. She was half way across the park now but he was in no rush to catch her. He instead looked up at the night sky contemplating the situation. For years he had dreamt of a perfect night in the park with her and he was finally getting it, only not with the Ashlee Banks he had hoped to share the night with.

"WOOW!" Ashlee yelled before jumping into the still half frozen lake ahead of him. Averman set out into a run at the sight, as she was fairly well intoxicated and probably couldn't swim as well as she would hope. He made it to the lake and dove in to grab the petite woman now paddling at the water's edge. His feet hit the bottom just before his head would have gone under and he realized the pond wasn't that deep but now he was going to be wet in the cool night air.

"Ashlee, get out of the pond..." He tried to be stern yet still friendly. She laughed slightly and began to swim away from him in a playful manner.

"No, Avery, swim with me." She giggled.

"Ashlee, come on, it's almost midnight! It's getting cold out here and you're drunk!" He yelled after her retreating form. She stopped and smiled before beginning her swim back to the man across the pond.

"Silly, Avery... You're no fun! All I wanted to do was come out here and get you alone." She whispered seductively. This definitely wasn't pretty, sweet Ashlee Banks talking, Averman kept telling himself.

"Ashlee, come on, let's get you home.." He whispered, reaching for her hand. She shook her head coming closer to him with each passing second.

"I want to stay right here with you." She whispered, bringing her lips to his in a very one sided kiss. Averman hadn't wanted a kiss with Ashlee Banks to be like this. She wouldn't even remember it in the morning and it would be forever burned into his memory. He pushed against her shoulders.

"Ashlee..." He began, she wasn't listen and instead began to raise herself out of the water.

"I know you like me Averman." She whispered, her hands finding their way to the strap behind her neck. "and I know you want me." She whispered again as the straps fell from her shoulders. Averman was in shock at the sight in front of him.

"Ash... " He tried to speak. She smiled, moving towards him,

"Les..." She whispered back, wrapping her arms around his neck. He wanted so badly to kiss her right then and there and forget the consequences to such an action but he couldn't, he couldn't disrespect her in that way and take advantage of her in her drunken state.

"Ashlee, I... I can't..." He whispered, looking down to avoid the sight before him. He wouldn't look at her chest, she wouldn't have wanted him to if she was in her right mind. The atmosphere was quiet for a moment before he scanned his eyes back up to her face. Her eyes were misted over with tears and her face was stricken with a horrified look. She quickly pulled her dress back up to cover herself and began to turn away, seemingly realizing what she was doing.

"I'm... I'm so sorry..." She mumbled, trying to exit the pond without looking directly at him.

"Ashlee, it's not like that." He tried to reason, "You have no idea how much I want to." He commented, following her out of the pond. He could hear her soft sniffles of grief.

"I'm sorry, you must think I'm a complete slut.." She whispered, sitting on the ground just outside the pond and pulling her knees to her chest.

"No, Ashlee, no, you're just trying to get over Dean.." He reasoned. She nodded slightly, burying her head in his shoulder. He placed a comforting hand on the base of her skull and sighed.

"Everything is going to be okay." He reassured her. She nodded slightly before looking up at him,

"You're a really good friend, Averman." She whispered before gulping and coughing as a sign of the vomit that was to follow. She missed his shoe luckily by an half an inch. Averman nodded, holding her hair away from her face.

"Yeah, I'm your friend." He whispered continuing to rub her back.

The hall was vacant besides the soft footsteps of the security guard patrolling. Well, he wasn't patrolling but rather looking for a certain blonde to emerge from the make-up room without her Mother in tow. He wasn't worried he wasn't going to see her again, she'd find her own way to get away, he just wished it was sooner rather than later. The show had started already, Fulton could hear the announcer beginning to welcome the crowd to the arena. He sighed, about to give up when a small blonde emerged from the costume room two doors away from where he was. She turned and smiled at him motioning to the vacant room across the hall. He followed, a small smile on his face.

The room was dark when he entered and he flipped on the lights to find her sitting on the only desk in the entire room, her short skating outfit draped over the top of her legs.

"Hey there, handsome." She mumbled as he stepped closer. They kissed a small kiss before pulling away.

"I thought I wasn't going to see you again." She whispered, their foreheads still together. He shook his head,

"No, your Mother doesn't scare me. It would take a lot more than that to make me go away." He smiled. She smiled too before becoming somber,

"Fulton, would you do something for me?" She asked, a little bit hesitant at first.

"Anything." He whispered against her forehead.

"Run away with me?" She whispered, looking down at the floor. He tensed for a moment,

"Tammy, that's a lot to ask. I have my family here and the guys..."

"I know." She whispered, looking up at him, " It's just, I have to get away from my Mother. She's ruining my life! I don't care about skating anymore, I got my Gold medal and I can live off my bank account for a while." She said, getting up from the table, "Fulton, please, I wouldn't asked but I love you and I want you to go with me. I will not let her run my life. If I want to be with you than I will be!" She said, trying not to meet his eyes. He smiled bigger than he had ever smiled.

"You love me?" He asked, coming to stand in front of her. She smirked shyly, "You've only been back a few days. Are you sure you're willing to throw your life away to be with me?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her waist. She smiled now, looking up at him,

"I love you, Fulton. I have since we were kids. I was just too embarrassed to say anything." She whispered. He kissed her, pulling her as close to him as he could.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that." He whispered, "Let's do it. Let's get out of here tonight, we'll take my car and stop by my house to get some stuff and leave a note for the guys." She laughed,

"Really?!" She asked in disbelief.

"Yes. I love you too, Tammy." He whispered before they kissed.

The lights had dimmed in the main dining area of the banquet hall as Julie and Adam swayed to the music that was left to hum in the large speakers. The feeling of having her close was enough to make a man go mad, especially in Adam's case. He rested his hand on the small of her back to pull her closer as she responded and closed the inch left between them. The smell of her vanilla shampoo was all around him and he wanted nothing more than to be here with her in this moment. She sighed contently, laying her head on his shoulder. The party hadn't been nearly as bad as she thought it would be. The people there were all stuffy but having Adam at her side, she felt like a princess. His hand never left hers as they mingled through guests all evening, most stopping Adam to talk business but he'd just smile and gesture to her and they would shut up and leave him alone. She loved feeling more important than any business deal and he made her feel that way. It was a large contrast from the parties she had previously attended with Scooter. Most of the time she was pushed to the side of fellow business associates wanting to talk promotions. That was the plus side for Adam, he wasn't looking to advance in this job, he was where he wanted to be and everyone wanted to talk to him. She smiled, bring her head up to face him. He smiled slightly,

"Thank you for bringing me tonight, Adam. I had a lot of fun."

Adam's hand gently grazed the back of Julie's dress to pull her close to him as they swayed to the soft music.

"It was my pleasure." He mumbled, a hint of shyness in his voice. "Julie have you ever thought about us?" He asked.

Julie smiled against his neck as she tried to forget everything else that was going on in her life but the man in front of her. He had been a complete gentleman all night and even thought she was pretty sure where he wanted this to go from here, she wasn't sure she was ready to take it there.

"Adam, let's just enjoy this moment..." She murmured. The time seemed to pass quickly when she was in his arms and before she knew it the crowd on the dance floor had dwindled to almost none. Julie smiled, lifting her head from his shoulder to look him in the eye. Their lips were mere centimeters apart, Adam could feel her breath on his lips.

"Jules, I need to tell you something..." His lips began to tremble with each word he spoke. "Jules, I lo..." His words were cut off by the sound of shattering glass from the bar. Both their heads turned to the sound, a drunk looking man standing with his back to them stood looking at the waitress in front of him with an angered stare. Her small form quivered against the wood of the bar.

"Hey, is there a problem?" Adam asked loudly, pulling Julie behind him. The man stood up straight and Julie's breath caught in her throat.

"Yeah, there's a problem." His voice was deep and angry with venom.

"Scooter.." Julie's voice whispered against Adam's skin. She tried to move out from behind him but Adam glanced at her and back at the man turning to face them. Scooter smiled slightly, a hint of distain in the action.

"Jules, what are you doing? We've been apart a couple weeks and you're out with another guy?" He asked, taking a gulp of his whiskey.

"Scooter, you're drunk and I'm not dating Adam, we're just friends." She tried to whisper to keep him from lashing out. He laughed slightly before throwing his glass in their direction. Julie ducked quickly, her cat like skills still accurate, Adam narrowly missed the flying object.

"Hey, you need to chill out!" Adam yelled, moving to get in Scooter's face. The two man came face to face and sized each other up.

"I need to chill out? You need to get out of my face, loser!" Scooter shoved back. This started the shoving match that ensued. Julie jumped from the dance floor to break up the action.

"Stop, Adam, Scooter.." She yelled coming up behind Adam to break them apart when a stray punch landed right on her jaw. She fell back just as they both realized what happened.

"Julie..." Adam exclaimed, rushing to her side. Scooter took a deep breath watching the two of them together.

"Are you okay?" Adam asked, touching her cheek to feel if it was broke.

"I'm fine, Adam." She mumbled, trying not to cry at the stinging pain she felt. Scooter laughed slightly as the remaining people around them stared at the scene, Adam's parent's being one of them. He looked up at the cackling man as he watched him pick up another drink from the nearby table and drink it down.

"You need to leave..." Adam replied sternly, standing from where Julie landed.

"Adam.." Julie began, trying to grip his hand but she couldn't reach.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not without her." Scooter pointed to Julie. Adam scoffed,

"Not on your life."

"Jules, come on, let's go home." Scooter mumbled, reaching a hand out to her. Julie looked between the two men. This was what she had wanted all week long, she had wanted to go home and have a family with the man in front of her. She loved him, even in the state that he was in now. She had hoped he would call but was this just a pissing contest between the two men to prove who was more of a man. Her eyes darted to Adam then to Scooter and back again.

"Julie.." Scooter encouraged.

"Jules..." Adam whispered, telling her with his eyes not to go. She looked down and sighed,

"Scooter, you're drunk. Go home and we'll talk in the morning." She whispered, helping herself off the floor. Adam tried to help her but she moved away from him.

"That's great, Julie. Just throw away 7 years!" Scooter yelled towards her back. Julie ignored his rants as she began to exit the room. "What about the baby?" He yelled. She stopped, feeling her heart stop where she stood. Had he really just said that? Did he care enough to ask or was he just trying to get back at her for being here with Adam.

"Baby, what baby?" Adam questioned, looking between the two. Julie didn't turn around.

"Oh, she didn't tell you? Julie's having my child. A child I didn't even want." Scooter's voice was filled with venom as the last word fell from his mouth. Julie's eyes clouded over as the man behind her continued. "She tricked me, she wanted to tie me to her for the rest of our lives." Scooter's rants became too much for Julie to listen to.

"No, Scooter. You tricked me. You tricked me when you told me you loved me and wanted to be with me forever. You said you wanted to have a family!" Julie's eyes filled with tears before she rushed from the room to collect her jacket from the hall closet. Adam stood there shocked for a moment before rushing forward. His Father stepped out in front of him,

"What are you doing? All of Minneapolis is watching, let her go." He smiled at the remaining guests. Adam looked at his Father for a moment before pushing passed him to chase after Julie. She was out of the hall and hailing a cab as he rushed from the front entrance.

"Julie!" He yelled just as she got in a cab and shut the door. Her eyes stared back at him from the cab window as it pulled away. All he saw was disappointment hidden behind her glistening blue orbs.

A single spot light shown from the ceiling to follow the beautiful blonde that glided across the ice. Fulton's breathe caught in his throat just watching her. She moved passed him as the faint melody of the nutcracker theme played in the distance and for a moment he thought he saw her smile at him. Time seemed to move in slow motion as her feet left the ice for the second time that night to go into a triple lutz and Fulton nearly felt his heart stop. She seemed to faulted in the air and a cold feeling washed over him as her foot came down at an angle and seemed to slip on the snow white ice. Her body was going so fast that she didn't even have time to think about how to land and before he knew it, her head hit the ice with such force, it bounced back up before she skidded to the barrier and laid there without moving. Fulton was over the barrier before anyone could even react. She wasn't moving at all as his sneakers slipped on the ice in his hurry to get to her side.

"Tammy!" He breathed with worry, rushing to her side. Her eyes were closed as he gripped her head in his hands and placed it on his lap. Looking down at the ice there were small droplets of blood on the clear white palette.

"Oh God, Tammy!" He breathed, as a group of paramedics arrived on the ice and nearly pushed him out of the way to look at her. The music had stopped as the crowd all gasped with worry. His hands had her blood on them, he looked down to red through his blurred vision. He had started to cry and didn't even know it.

The keys jiggled in her shaking hands as she tried to open her door. Connie should have been in the hospital but she wasn't about to spend more of Jake's money when she couldn't even work to give it back. Her right side was killing her, the pain meds they had given her were wearing thin and her head pounded hard against her skull. Dropping the meds they had prescript on the table, Connie collapsed on her pile of blankets in the center of the floor and stared at the ceiling. Maybe he was home by now and would talk to her. All she wanted was to talked, nothing more, and to try to explain everything to him. He needed to know about his son, no little boy should grow up without his Father. She sighed, rolling over to tuck her head beneath her pillows when there was a loud knock on the door. She groaned slightly at the thought of getting up but she would have to. The knock came again and she finally made it to the door to reach for the handle. Julie stood outside the door, a sad expression on her face.

"Jules?" Connie questioned looking her over.

"Connie, I just really need my best friend right now. Adam's going to look for me at the apartment and I can't talk to him right now." Her voice was filled with sadness.

"Are you okay?" Connie asked, seeing the bruise beginning to form on her chin. She nodded,

"I'm not going to cry, it's not worth it." She tried to reassure herself. Connie nodded, trying her best not to show the pain she was in. "Can I come in for a little while? I know it's late but..." Connie cut her off,

"No, come in, I need to talk to you too." She whispered, letting the blonde in the open door before shutting it behind her.

"So what's your favorite movie?" Dean's voice was recognizable anywhere. Belle looked up at the night sky,

"I don't know, I always liked Beauty and the Beast. You know, Belle..." She shrugged. She looked at Dean to see if he would laugh but surprisingly he didn't.

"No jokes?" Belle asked, looking at his face for an answer.

"No... I think that's a good movie..." He smiled, trying not to make a joke. She punched him hard in the shoulder, " Oww, what was that for?" He asked. She smiled,

"For making fun of me without really making fun of me..." She commented, skipping the sidewalk to cross the street to the only thing open at midnight, a 24 gas station.

"You want something to drink?" Dean asked, pulling out his wallet to retrieve a bill for the vending machine.

"No, I'm good, besides, can't have too much caffeine." She mumbled, looking down at her stomach again. Dean couldn't help but let a small smile form on his lips. A car pulled up behind them to get gas and the radio was blasting out the window. A familiar melody played out the window and Dean looked down at Belle.

_You're not alone  
Together we stand  
I'll be by your side  
You know I'll take your hand_

Dean smiled slightly at the petite girl next to him and took her hand in his to lead her home. He made a small promise to himself that he was going to protect her and their baby at any cost, even if he had to grow up.

Julie and Connie were sitting on the floor of her living room, Julie holding a bag of ice to her jaw as Connie showed her pictures of her 4 year old son in Texas.

"I can't believe you had a baby and didn't tell me." Julie said, looking down at the pictures in front of her.

"It's not exactly like you were keeping in touch." Connie mumbled before coughing a bit into the tissue in her hand.

"Connie, what's wrong? I know you're sick." Julie whispered. Connie looked down, contemplating telling her before looking out the window.

"I think I'm dying, Jules and I can't stop it." She whispered. She felt a few stray tears leave her eyes and Julie moved to hold her,

"It's okay, Cons. Just keep holding on, we'll find something." She whispered against her head. Connie nodded, looking at the pictures of her son scattered over the floor.

The red lights of the ambulance shined in the door of the emergency room as Fulton rushed in,

"Tammy Duncan?" He asked the first nurse before rushing to the next counter when he didn't get an answer. "Tammy Duncan?" He asked again,

"Down the hall in ER 1 but sir you can't go in!" The nurse called after him. He was halfway down the hall before he was stopped but the bodyguards Tammy's mother had hired.

"Stop right there, Mr. Reed." He heard her Mother's voice from behind him, "You are not going anywhere near my daughter, not after tonight. She was distracted. I will not have that happen again." Her Mother's words were harsh.

"Please, Mrs. Duncan. I just need to know she's okay." Fulton pleaded.

"No, I think you've done enough. Get out of here before I call the police on you. I think you've done enough for tonight." Her eyes bore into him. Fulton yielded and began to back down the hall as Tammy's Mother headed for her room. He backed up then moved down the hall to the left, he had to see her and make sure she was alright even if he had to wait out her mother.


	11. Chapter 11

The gas pedal was pressed to the darkened floor of the small sports car as Adam Banks raced through downtown Minneapolis towards where he knew Julie would run to. The street lamps passed like blurs out his driver's side window as he contemplated the nights events. _How could he hesitate for a minute on his feelings for Julie_, he'd had them since the goodwill games and Dean calling her babe. He had been ready to break Dean's jaw for that comment. Damn his Father, his stupid colleagues and all his stupid ideas of what's proper and what's not. He hit the steering wheel with anger that he even doubted for a minute that he would want Julie Gaffney, the woman he'd been in love with for years. _So what if she made mistakes in the past, so what, what his Father would think!_ He'd listened to his Father way too many times in his life to let him ruin another thing for him, like he ruined the freedom he had of living with the guys, even if it was horrible at some moments. He took another left, pulling on the long darkened street he used to call home. That was another thing that he'd listened to his Father on and now he regretted. Were the guys that lived there even really his friends anymore? Adam silently kicked himself. Sure, they talked to him but the glare that often formed in their eyes, especially Charlie's when they spoke to him told him otherwise. _It wasn't right_, he'd give them that. He shouldn't have just packed up in the middle of the day when no one was home and left without another word for almost two weeks when they started wondering where his part of the rent was. Pulling up in front of the old brick building, he looked towards the top floor and saw a light on. His hopes rose slightly that someone was home and hopefully it was the girl he so wanted to talk to at that moment. He had to explain to her that it was him, not her and it was all just a big misunderstanding. Racing up the stairs, he couldn't go fast enough to reach the old door. Old Lady Johnson was outside her door, sweeping her doormat with ease when she looked up at his running figure. She was about to say something about him no longer living in the building and go into her usual rant but he nearly knocked her out of his way in his quest for the top apartment. She huffed a breathe before he looked back,

"Sorry, Miss Johnson." He mumbled, not really sorry but trying to be polite. He reached the door and pulled the key he still held from his pocket.

The door swung open to find a very depressed Guy Germaine seated on the couch with a beer in his hand. He looked up at him as he walked in,

"Has Julie come home yet?" He asked, looking down the vacant hall to his left. Guy shook his head no before looking back at the television without a word ever leaving his mouth.

"No, I thought she was with you." He mumbled, taking another sip of his beer that he'd been nursing since he arrived home almost two hours ago.

"She was, there was a misunderstanding." Banks mumbled, checking his old room for her. She had changed a few things to make it her own and he stood in the doorway for a moment to observe the changes and take them in.

"You want me to have her call you when she comes home or something?" Guy asked not really caring what the situation was but rather wondering when he'd be left alone again. Adam was stirred from his thoughts by that point,

"Umm, yeah, but do you mind if I hang out for a little bit to see if she comes home? I just really want to talk to her about this tonight before it gets out of hand." Adam asked. Guy shrugged, not wanting to be rude and moved the pillow from the seat next to him from Adam to sit.

"Thanks." Adam said moving to sit to watch the television. Guy shrugged, moving to the end of the couch and continuing to watch his program. He was watching a documentary on Gorillas, a hazed look in his eyes like he'd been awake for two days, even though he'd sleep most of the day in anticipation of that night. Adam tried not to stare, instead looking down at the beer in Guy's hand.

"You got another one of those? I could really use a drink right now.." He asked, trying not to sound like he still lived there. Guy nodded, pointing towards the kitchen, an annoyed look formed on his face. _The man used to live here for god's sake, couldn't he find the kitchen?_

"Yeah, there's a twelve pack in the refrigerator." He mumbled, his eyes not leaving the television screen. Adam nodded, standing to take his jacket and tie off before walking to the kitchen to open the fridge. The cold air from the open door seemed to wake him up and he reached inside finding the said 12 pack on the top shelf with one already gone. He sighed, how he missed those days of drinking with the guys. The sound of the front door opening caused him to nearly drop the beer he'd just picked up to the floor.

"Jules?" He asked, quickly making his way to the hall to look at the front door as it swung open. Charlie stood there a solemn look on his face and held his hands up in defense before it turned to a look of confusion.

"No, it's just me." He said, making his way to the chair in the living room. Guy nodded in acknowledgement of a greeting but still didn't say a word to the newly arriving roommate. Adam followed him in and sat on the couch closest to him. Charlie sighed, looking over at the odd man seated on the couch across from him.

"Waiting for Jules?" Charlie guessed at the greeting he had received when he entered in the door a moment before. Adam nodded in acknowledgement, still keeping an eye on the door to his right.

"It's been a weird night." He mumbled popping his beer can open and sipping the contents with a look of disgusted.

"Did it always taste this bad?" Adam mumbled, setting the beer down on the table. Guy seemed to laugh,

"It only tastes that bad for the first couple then you don't' care so much." Guy replied, taking another sip of his own beer. Charlie nodded in agreement,

"Yeah. Talk about weird, I saw Linda and her... her... fiancée at the Rose Garden in town, they must have been having dinner, on my walk home from Mom's and Coach's." Charlie mumbled, having trouble finding the words to describe the man that took his place at Linda's side. Adam nodded,

"You want a beer, Guy supplied enough." He said looking over at the other man in the room. He didn't move, just kept watching the show he had on. Charlie shook his head,

"No, I'm good for now, I'm trying to cut back anyway." Charlie shook his head no before looking at the screen across from them. A gorilla was grooming another gorilla on the television, Charlie cocked his head to the side before Adam followed his gaze and followed suit in his confused look.

"So this is it." Belle mumbled as they approached her building in the cool night air. The guard outside looked Dean up and down as it was different guard from yesterday and he had not yet seen the strong young man in the torn jeans and leather jacket that walked her home. Belle shot him a look and he turned away from the couple as they stopped at the door.

"So it is. Are you going to be okay?" He asked, a concern in his voice she hadn't heard before besides in the clinic. She smiled slightly at the concern, it felt different to have someone actually care about her for once but it really wasn't her, but the baby she carried, that he cared about.

"Yeah, what's the worse they can do, kill me?" She joked. Dean smiled a little, looking at his shoes at a loss for words as to what to say to that. She stiffened from the joke and cleared her throat. "Really, I'll be fine. I'm not going to tell them about the baby just yet anyway. I need to figure out how to tell them with the least amount of bloodshed. Maybe I'll just wait till it's too late to have an abortion so they can't make me." She sighed with nervousness, glancing back at the guard to make sure he was not listening to their conversation. The man was turned away still, helping a older woman up the steps in her heels.

"Belle, I meant it when I said I want to be a part of this kid's life. I'm here for you. Whatever you need." He assured her. She nodded in acknowledgement.

"Yeah, It's just, it's going to be one thing to tell my parents I'm pregnant. It's going to be a whole other thing to tell them that you're the Father." She didn't mean for it to come out as if she was trying to put him down. He nodded,

"So there still is some of that spoiled little Bit.."

"Hey," She cut him off, "I'm just being honest and telling you what they're going to say. I never said I felt that way too!"

"Really, Princess? Then how is it that you feel? Or was I just some piece of ass you got at a party!" He yelled, attracting onlookers to stare. The guard was defiantly looking now, Belle thought without looking back at him. Her fists tightened, she really wanted to hit Dean but before she could, she was being pulled into a heated kiss. Dean's lips were on hers before he could even think about it. The look she had given him like she wanted to hit him dead in the face had hit something deep in his core and he had just had to kiss her. Maybe he was turned on by anger or maybe it was just her, either way Dean couldn't help pulling her to him. The passion he had felt fighting with her had brought back memories of the night they had spent together and he felt a deep connection to her still. Maybe it was the baby growing inside her or maybe he was just tired of the BS but either way, he wanted her at that moment. more than he'd wanted any girl before. Her hands went to his chest like she was going to push him away from her but yet she didn't. She wanted to and she knew she should before someone saw them but the feelings she felt all the way down to her toes had her in a trance. This wasn't right, they couldn't do this. He didn't love her, she finally registered in her mind and pushed against his chest. He let go of her lips and looked down at her, her lips redden and swollen with passion. She didn't say anything and couldn't explain what he had been thinking but before he could response she slapped him across the face and ran for the door of her building, the glass swinging shut behind her. Dean stood in shock as the cold night air hit his bare face and set the spot where she's struck him on fire. He managed to turn in time to see her enter the elevator and look back at him. Her eyes showed fear and confusion but she looked away, allowing the doors to close in front of her. Dean stood there for a long moment before he mentally kicked himself and glanced down at his watch,

"Crap.." He mumbled, he'd completely missed Ashlee's party.

"La...La...La..." Ashlee mumbled as her eye lids grew heavy in Averman's arms. He had been carrying her from the park back to the hall where he had been denied Ashlee's car because he didn't have his driver's license on him. He groaned taking another step up the creaking steps of his apartment building. It wasn't that she was heavy or that he didn't love the feeling of having her in his arms but he was tired and he just wanted to lay in his own bed. He figured he could dump Ashlee on the living room couch and leave it up to her if she wanted to join Dean or whatever when she woke up in the morning. She mumbled again and wrapped her arms tighter around Averman's neck.

"Umm... Avey..." She mumbled nuzzling her nose into the side of his neck. He tried not to breath in her intoxicating scent but it was hard not to catch a whiff here and there. The door was in sight a moment later and he struggled to open it with her in his arms. Shifting her more on his chest, he found it was unlocked when he managed to turn the knob. The sight he found when he walked in, drastically changed his plans. Adam Banks lay on the couch fast asleep with a blanket over his body and his coat rolled up under his head for a pillow. The coffee table was littered with beer cans and Charlie was passed out in the chair opposite. Averman could only guess what could have happened but nonetheless he needed to find a place for Ashlee Banks to sleep off her intoxication. He sighed, _guess it was his room after all._

*Dream State*

The bright lights of the exam room cased a glare on Connie's already sweat ridden forehead. Her breathe was labored as pain enveloped her abdomen. Time seemed to pass slowly with each intake of breath she took. 10, 20 moments passed before she could breath with ease again. The last contraction had nearly wiped her out.

"Easy, the worse is over. There you go, good girl." The Nurse soothed, wiping at Connie's forehead. Connie let the air she'd been holding leave her lungs. Never in her life had she experienced a pain like the kind she was experiencing now. Even playing hockey or all the years that she did, could not have prepared her for now. Her insides were being ripped from her body in a fiery inferno of pain. She yelped in exhaustion collapsing on the bed.

"There you go.. The doctor will be in shortly to begin." The thin nurse promised moving away from the bed and preparing the equipment for the arrival of the doctor. Connie leaned her head back against the stiff covered pillow with exhaustion and tried to count the ceiling tiles. She hadn't rested but a moment when a different kind of pain began to cramp at her stomach.

"Nurse, something's wrong." Connie groaned with pain as the nurse glanced at the fetal monitor, a look of worry crossing her face.

"Ms. Moreau, your baby's heart rate has dropped. I need you to relax while I go and get the doctor." She urged, quickly leaving the room. Connie took a deep breath in, glancing at the monitor herself. The bay's heart rate continued to fall as Connie's breath increased with labored pants.

"Okay," The doctor announced his presence, coming into the room and looking over the monitors. "Let's see what's going on." He said, more to himself than to anyone else. Connie groaned with pain again, watching as the doctor briefly touched her stomach and moved to look under the blanket they'd draped over her legs during the exam. His face shown one of worry.

"Nurse, we need to move immediately to the O.R., this baby is a breech." He quickly advised. Connie's face dropped,

"Ms. Moreau, Your baby is coming out backward.. we need to do a c-section and take the baby now before the cord gets tangled around the baby's neck.. Is there anyone here with you that you'd like us to advise?" Connie shook her head,

"No, I'm by myself.." She cried as pain enveloped her again.

*End Dream State*

Sweat dripped down Connie's face as she awoke with a startle. Julie Gaffney sat up from the floor beside her, awoken by the sudden movement of her friend beside her underthe shared blanket.

"Are you okay?" She asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with the back of her fisted hand. Connie looked around for a moment trying to remember where she was and that she wasn't back in the delivery room with her son being ready to be born. She sighed heavily, resting back against the pillow that was laid on the floor. Julie's eyes still looked at her.

"I'm fine, just a dream." Connie assured, remembering that she was back in her apartment. A sudden pain shot through her side and she made a mental note not to lay that way again.

"Do you need your meds or something?" Julie asked, still seating up from the pillow and blanket in which she had fell asleep. Connie groaned, looking at her watch,

"Yeah, I guess I should." She groaned. Julie moved to the kitchen quickly and ran a glass of water before returning with the bottle of pills that the hospital sent home with Connie. She groaned, taking her pills and resting her head back against her pillow and staring up at the ceiling above her. Julie returned and rested back against her pillow as well, looking to where Connie's eyes had gone.

"So, do you think it was better not to have told him at all or have him know and hate you for having another man's baby?" Julie pondered. Connie remained quiet for a long moment. She could feel herself weaker than the day before and she knew that sooner or later she'd have to confront Guy and tell him he was a Father. She took a deep breath continuing to stare at the ceiling,

"I don't know Jules..." Connie said honestly, "If I had a choice to do everything all over again, I wish Guy had been there, whether he was angry or not." She mumbled, still staring at the ceiling. Julie adjust the dress that Adam had bought her before getting comfortable again on the floor.

"Sometimes I wish I hadn't gotten pregnant but then maybe I wouldn't have found out what Scooter really wanted and what a jerk he could be." Julie wondered. If felt like old times, laying on the floor with Connie next to her. They'd shared a dorm room for 4 years not counting the summer in LA for the Goodwill Games. It had been hard for Julie to get used to a new girl roommate in college.

"No matter what happens, that kids going to depend on you..." Connie reminded her. She nodded. As much as she wanted to think about a future with Adam and all the possibilities it could bring, she needed to be realistic that he didn't stay and be a Father to a baby that wasn't his. He shouldn't have to be. Scooter should have stepped up and manned up but she didn't see that happening anytime soon.

"Connie, would it be okay If I moved in here with you for a while? I'm going to go home in a couple of days and get some stuff. I don't think I'll be going back there anytime soon..." Julie trailed off, looking out the window at the night sky.

"Yeah, it will be like old times... Except no furniture..." She seemed to laugh. Julie laughed too,

"I've got furniture... We'll be fine." Julie announced, "We'll be just fine."

Downstairs, Linda Malloy sat alone in her small Saturn, the headlights turned off but the engine running. Should she do this? She had remembered well enough where the apartment was to get there but he was probably asleep by now. She's managed to make it through dinner without breaking a glass. He just could not keep popping up in her life like this. He needed to let her go the way she had let him go many months before. When she had seen him at the window of the restaurant staring in at her and Tyler she had wanted to immediately stand, match out to the sidewalk and slap him in his self assured face. She slapped the steering wheel with frustration as to why she couldn't just tell him to leave her alone. She wanted her new life with Tyler so why couldn't she put that final nail in the coffin of Charlie Conway. Thinking back to the last time their actually been happy, she remember her birthday almost two years before. He had surprised her with breakfast in bed, a single white rose in a vase sitting on the tray. Her favorite. He always remembered the little things like, anniversaries and her favorite foods. Even surprising her with her favorite french vanilla mocha twist latte every now and again would have kept her happy. It all seemed to change the minute he got the job at that damn bank. He was working long hours, coming home late smelling of cheap perfume. She couldn't take it when he said everything he was doing was for them and their future. She had thrown a lamp at him from across the bed while she packed up her stuff. All she ever wanted was to mean something to him. Looking down at her engagement ring she wondered if she'd ever have that same spark with Tyler. Her parents kept telling her it would come but she was yet to feel it even when they had made love. She sighed deeply, looking again up to the third floor apartment and the lights that played off the window. They must be watching TV, she thought with another sigh. She was just about to leave and go home, maybe she couldn't cut him out completely. Maybe she wasn't strong enough. She reached to turn on the engine when the sparkle of her engagement ring caught her eye. If she wanted to give Tyler a chance, a real chance she needed to close this part of her life. Sealing herself to whatever he would try to say to her and whatever he would do, she turned the car off and placed the keys in her purse before stepping out into the cold of the night.

The street was completely quiet, not a person in sight as she touched the lock on her door before shutting it behind her. The wind blew softly, blowing a discarded newspaper around her feet. Her heels made a soft click on the pavement as she stepped from the road unto the sidewalk and looked up at the building. This was it. After this it would be no more Charlie Conway ever. Linda took a deep breath going to take the first step into the building when strong arms wrapped around her middle section. At first it didn't register that she was being picked up from behind. her legs kicked out in front of her and she knew she lost a show in the struggle. A gloved hand came up over her mouth to prevent her from screaming, not that there was anyone around to hear her anyway. Linda fought as she was dragged to the alleyway next the Charlie's building thrown to the ground near the trash cans. She tried to sit up and get away but she was forced back to the concrete, hitting her head with the force of the push.

"Stay down..." The muffled voice of a man commanded her. Her eyes were still dazed when she looked up at the figure looming over her. His eyes were the only thing she could see in the darkness and shown a look of pure hatred.


	12. Chapter 12

Les Averman rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand as the bright white ceiling of his small bedroom came into sight. He sighed, resting back against the blankets he was wrapped up in and realized that he was sleeping on the floor and not in his comfy warm bed. Looking around for a moment, he wondered how he got there and why he wasn't in his bed.

"What the..." He thought to himself has he pulled himself from the floor to a sitting position against his bed. He groaned slightly, rubbing at his eyes again to the fogginess out that usually accompanied the morning after he left his contacts in while he slept. A soft mumble from behind him made his blood run cold with excitement and panic. _Was there a girl in his room_, he thought with embarrassment. He had completely forgotten that Ashlee Banks was in his bed and that's why he had taken the floor the night before. So gentlemanly, he thought to himself as he touched his hand to the ache in his lower back. The night before suddenly came back into his memory and he remembered Adam Banks, Brother to the beauty that was occupying his bed, was just 20 feet away in the living room waiting for Julie to come home and in the mean time he would probably kill Averman for taking his sister to his room. Averman sighed, he just couldn't win. He never got the girl, he always got beat up and his life sucked if not for his friends. At this moment one of the said friends was about to kick his ass. Averman sighed, leaning his head back on the bed. Ashlee stirred at the movement and rolled over to face him, her head just mere centimeters from his, her nose almost buried in his frizzy red hair. He stared above him for a moment longer before turning to face her. She looked very peaceful when she slept, like an angel, he thought. He laughed at himself for being so clique in his thinking, wasn't that what every guy thought of the girl he loved when she slept. He laughed to himself. Taking another sigh, his eyes wandered to the Spiderman poster that hung just above where she slept. He groaned inwardly. There was no way he was going to let her see his room sober, she'd think he never grew up with all his action figures, posters, and comic books. Getting up fast, Averman retrieved a storage crate from his closet and began to collect the action figures from around the room. The large stack of comic books in the corner of his bed would have to go as well, he thought with a sigh. He shoved the crate back in the closet and began to collect the comic books from the floor, having retrieved a good number of them, he struggled to take a good chunk of the stack with him to the closet. The pile was heavy and he probably should have put half down but in his rush, he tried to make it to the closet all in one trip. The pile tipped one way and he tried to compensate only to have it fall the other way and have himself slip on one in the process, landing on the floor with comic books strew all over himself. Ashlee stirred again at the sound of a falling person and opened her eyes. Les Averman lay crumbled on the floor just a few feet away with comic books lying all around him. Her eyes shot open to the sight before her and she rushed up to help him. The minute her feet touched to floor and her head was straight upright she felt a rush of blood to her head.

"Oh, how much did I drink last night?" She thought out loud. Averman struggled to breath from the floor. The fall had taken the air right out of him and his lower back hurt more than before. He couldn't breath, he thought, panic rising in his chest. He struggled to speak.

"Oh, you had plenty..." He managed to struggle out. She dropped to her knees and struggled to make her way over to him on the floor. They were some pair this morning, he thought, managing to take a deep breath.

"Are you alright?" She asked a concern in her voice when she made it over to him. He looked up at her, completely sober, beautiful, perfect Ashlee Banks, asking him if he was alright. He nodded as best he could,

"Yeah, just a little sore from the fall but I'll be alright." He groaned, finally sitting up and struggling to make it to the bed to lie down. Ashlee moved with him, gripping her head with her hand. Averman was the first to lie down on the inside of the bed against the wall, Ashlee climbed in after him, placing her head in his pillow and gripping her head. He hadn't even realized she joined him when he turned over to look at the ceiling and felt her next to him.

"Averman, do have anything for a hangover?" She wondered. He laughed as much as he could,

"Ashlee, I don't drink enough to get hangovers. If you haven't noticed, I'm not quiet the party guy." He smiled towards the ceiling. She seemed embarrassed at this and turned towards him,

"So you remember last night?" She asked, her eyes looking up at his with a worried expression. He didn't meet her eyes at first but continued to stare at the ceiling,

"Every moment..." He whispered. She looked down for a moment.

"So, I probably made a fool out of myself?" She asked almost certain she would have. He shook his head,

"No, nothing you do could change my opinion of you..." He whispered, getting the ability to breathe back. She smiled slightly, looking down at the Incredible Hulk T-shirt she was wearing and back at Averman,

"Did we...?" She looked back up at him with questioning eyes. For a moment she didn't think it would have been bad if they did, hell, he was nothing like Portman.

"No." He assured her, "I just put the t-shirt on you and slipped your dress out from under it. My clothes stayed on." He mumbled, hoping she wouldn't think him a perv. She smiled at his embarrassment and curled up next to him on the bed, resting her hand on his chest.

"Thanks Averman." He looked down at her with a worried expression,

"I didn't do anything." He mumbled. She smiled again,

"No, thanks for taking care of me." She snuggled closer to him, laying her head on his chest for confront. He smiled again, wrapping an arm around her,

"Don't worry about it." He assured her as they drifted back to sleep in the comfortable embrace.

The white walls of the hospital hallway were really starting to drain Fulton Reed's optimism that he'd be able to out think the gorilla guards that still stood outside Tammy Duncan's hospital room. He were like those English guards, they hadn't moved an inch the entire eight hours he'd been sneaking around, looking for an opening. He's been back and forth at least ten times, trying to think of a way in. Currently he was perched around the corner from her door, waiting for an opportunity to get in and see her. He felt his opportunity come when the door to her room opened and Mrs. Duncan emerged, shouldering her oversized purse and instruction one of the guards to walk her to her car, it was still early in the morning. The man reluctantly followed ordered and instructed the other man to stay put and not leave his post while he was gone. He must have been the one in charge as the other man agreed and Mrs. Duncan left with the other guard, heading down the hall the opposite way on where Fulton stood. Fulton knew he could out smart this one, he was the slower of the two and required instruction for everything he did. A nurses station cart stood close to where Fulton was standing, the nurse had turned away to assist a patient to the rest room and wasn't looking at her cart. Fulton saw he plan laid out for him. With a gently nudge of the cart, it began to roll down the hall in front of the guard. The nurse turned back around to see her cart rolling away and yelled out for help. The guard, quick to react, began to follow the cart to grab it before it got to the end of the hall for the pretty blonde nurse. Fulton used the opportunity to duck into Tammy's room and close the door tightly behind him. The door closed with a quiet swoosh before he turned around and looked around the room. She was sitting up in the uncomfortable looking bed and stared directly at him, her eyes trying to figure him out. Fulton could hear the footsteps of the guard returning to the door and ducked into the closet closest to him to shield himself. The door opened to the room and the slow moving guard looked in at the sight. Tammy looked at him as well with a vacant expression in her eyes.

"Has anyone been in here Miss?" He asked with a gruff. Fulton knew she wouldn't give him away. Tammy seemed to think for a moment and shook her head, no. That satisfied the guard and he closed the door to continue his watch from the hall. Fulton sighed with relieve, opening the closet door quietly and stepping out. Tammy still started at him with an expressionless look, still trying to figure him out, it almost stared him for a moment.

"Tammy..." He whispered. She looked up at him as he approached and he could see her visibly tense at his voice. _Her head must have been hurting her and he was speaking too loud_, he thought approaching with soft footsteps.

"Fulton Reed?" She asked, almost seeming to be trying to remember his name.

"Yeah... Are you alright, I was really worried." He asked, coming to sit on the bed next to her. She moved away slightly, looking down at his outstretched hand with confusion.

"Worried? Why would you worry about me?" She smiled in a confused sort of way and wondered how hard she hit her head. He thought she was playing with him again as her face changed to a smile. He smiled back,

"Because I love you, Silly." He smiled, moving in to kiss her. Her eyes became big and she nearly jumped off the other side of the bed to avoid his lips.

"Fulton, I haven't seen you seen Pee-wee hockey... You love me?" She asked, trying to put everything together." He shook his head, trying to figure out what was going on with her.

"No, Tammy, we've been dating the past few days... I love you... We were going to leave together and get out of here. Remember, we were going to run away?" He reminded her, trying not to raise his voice above a whisper. She shook her head as a cat would shake off a flea.

"No... I..." She tried to summarize. He continued,

"You love me too... You said so yourself..." He reminded her, now getting agitated with her confusion. She stopped moving and looked up at him.

"Fulton, I don't remember. I don't remember anything." Her eyes seemed to glaze over with worry as he came around the bed to where she stood, her head in her hands.

"Tammy, what don't you remember? The past few day?" He was trying to get the full picture of exactly what was going on inside her head. _She could just have short term memory loss from the impact_, he thought, reaching for her again.

"What day is it?' She asked, now completely confused. He gripped her face in his hands, her hair still matted with dried blood in places around her face.

"Tammy, its April 8th, what's the last thing you remember?" He asked, a tear running down his face as the realization she didn't remember any of the last few days that they stared together. She face turned solemn,

"Tommy's 19th Birthday was two weeks ago? Mom and I are leaving to go to Utah tomorrow to start training for the 2006 Olympics?" She randomly regurgitated facts that she remembered, trying to make sense of what was going on. He shook his head, no.

"No, Tammy." He felt the life leave his chest. His heart was being ripped from its place within his ribs.

"I'm twenty years old?" She asked, not even knowing herself anymore. He shook his head again,

"No, you're 24 this year." He said letting go of her face and letting his hands drop back to his sides. The tears were streaming down her face as she realized just how much she'd lost.

"Fulton, I... I don't remember..." She cried, not knowing what to do. He couldn't stand to see her cry. With a little roughness of the anger he felt, he pulled her to him and crushed her against his chest as she cried.

"I'm so sorry..." She repeated over and over again into his jacket. He felt a few stray tears fall down his face as well,

"It's not your fault..." He whispered, soothing her as best he could. They stayed like that for a long time until her cries had subsided and he felt her relax against him.

"Where do we go from here, Tammy?" He asked, more to himself than to her. She sighed, looking up at him for the first time with the caring eyes he'd come to love.

"I don't know but I know I want to remember you." She whispered, looking into his eyes, he didn't want to scare her, so he resisted kissing her.

"You will. I promise, you will. You'll remember everything." He whispered, touching her cheek with his hand.

Time seemed to be passing as slow as the last hour of a really bad movie. Adam Banks sat staring at the ceiling, his eyes wide awake. He hadn't been able to sleep the past hour, wondering why she hadn't come home yet. Was she with Scooter? Making up for lost time and planning her baby shower? Becoming the perfect little family? It made his stomach turn to think about it. His Julie in the arms of the man that turned her out when she really needed him, but was he really any better? He couldn't even stand up to his Father. His stupid, ridiculously social Father who wanted everything his own way and wouldn't hear anyone else's opinion. _Damn, him for listening to him_, he thought, slamming his head back against the arm of the couch. A key jiggling in the handle of the door stirred Adam from his thought and he sat up, still dressed in his suit pants and white undershirt. The door opened slowly and quietly Julie Gaffney stepped in, wearing the same dress she had been the night before. She didn't seem to notice him sitting there, as she closed the door behind her as softly as she could and sat her purse on the coat rack to the left of the door. She peeked down the hall to make sure she hadn't awoken any of her former roommates before she continued to her room.

"Jules..." He whispered, his voice horse with worry. Her body tensed as she froze in place, not turning to look at him, yet not running the other direction either. She just remained there for what seemed like an eternity, trying to decide if she'd really heard him behind her or not. Maybe if she didn't move he wouldn't notice her.

"Jules, please look at me?" He asked, rising from the couch and coming to stand behind her. His hand rose to touch her shoulder but he thought better of it and dropped it to his side. The familiar flowery fragrance she always wore catching his senses and gripping them in death hold. He wanted to reach out and touch her, turn her around and kiss her but he wouldn't unless she let him. She took a deep breath in and finally turned to look at him, her eyes red from the night before's tears. She hadn't been able to fall back asleep after she had awoken early that morning.

"Oh, Jules. I'm sorry..." He whispered, reaching out to cup her face. She pulled away slightly, turning her face away from him to hide her confusion of her feelings.

"Adam, don't." She whispered, "Just please don't. I can't take you touching me right now. I'm so confused." She admitted, her eyes glistening with new tears.

"Don't what?" He asked, a bit of resentment in his voice, "Don't touch you, and don't tell you I want to be with you? No matter what I want to be with you..." He asked. She shook her head,

"Just don't. Don't make promises you can't keep." She whispered, moving passed him and towards her room. Adam followed, trying to think of how to respond.

"Julie, I'm a hundred times better for you than Scooter. You know this." He remarked, following her into her room that used to be his. She dropped her coat on the bed, looking to the closet for her bag.

"No, Adam, I don't know that. You don't see Scooter following every little direction his Father tells him too. At least he can make his own decisions." She raised her voice at him.

"Julie, I was shocked, I only let him stop me for a moment, and I followed you out. I know you saw me!" He raised his voice back. "I'm here, right?" He asked,

"How do I know you're here for me? You could be here out of pity? Because you think this baby isn't going to have a Father and you want to be a good friend." She yelled back.

"Jules..." He began.

"Because we don't need you, we'll be just fine without you and all your money. This baby is not and will never be your responsibility." She kept mumbling on as Adam tried to get in a word, finally he over took her voice with his own.

"Damn it, Jules, can't you see I love you!" He yelled out. She stopped all train of thought and stood facing him, a stocked expression on her face.

"Adam, you can't love me." She whispered, turning away from him and starting to collect her things from the dresser and closet. She couldn't believe that he could love her after one night out together. Was he serious?

"Julie, where are you going?" He asked a hint of worry in his voice. She continued to pack,

"I don't know, Adam but I know I can't stay here. Every piece of this room reminds me of you. I can't let you do this. I can't let you throw away your life for me and a baby that's not even yours." She felt the tears threatening to fall but she pushed them back.

"Julie, I love you, doesn't that mean anything?" He asked, wondering what the hell was going on.

"Adam, it's about 8 years too late." She mumbled trying to hold back tears and act like this is what she wanted. What she wanted more than anything was to admit she loved him too and let him take her home with him and give her and her baby the life she knew he could but that was selfish of her and if she truly loved him, she'd let him have the life he deserved. She finished packing what little stuff she had there and slung the bag over her shoulder to leave.

"Jules don't do this..." Adam pleaded, not quite understanding why she didn't love him back. He thought he'd felt it last night when they were alone on the dance floor, holding each other. She'd looked into his eyes with a look of passion, of wanting him to kiss her.

"Jules?" He asked one last time but she was out the door. He eyes watched the heavy steel door swing shut on its own and the clunk as it closed, crushing his heart in the jamb.

Charlie Conway had somehow managed to make it passed the screaming couple in the first bedroom on the right and out the door without them noticing that morning. The sad story that was Charlie's life had required him to go into work on a Saturday to finish the paperwork from last week that needed to be in first thing Monday morning to his boss. The thought of his boss sent chills down his spine and the thought of his wife made him want to throw up. He'd really made a mess out of his life, hadn't he? He questioned making it to his car and opening the door. He didn't bother to lock it anymore; no one cared to steal a 70's beater in this neighborhood. Charlie contemplated this, looking towards Adam's almost brand new car sitting across the street and the group of kid's eyeing it as they passed. Charlie couldn't leave without letting Adam know he was about to get his car stolen. Turning off the ignition, Charlie hopped out of the driver's seat and walked back towards the stairs to the apartment building when he heard a whimper from the alleyway next to the building. He stopped for a moment, thinking he'd probably imagined it but was reassured that it was real when another came a moment later. He hoped it wasn't another homeless person, looking for a meal or some money. He thought with a groan, coming around the side of the building to the most terrifying sight he'd ever seen. Linda sat against the building, her legs pulled up to her chest in a protective fashion. There was blood on her forehead and a smear coming from her mouth, her stockings were ripped at the knee, runs cascading down both legs and she was very dirty from the mud that was collecting at the side of the house from the rain.

"Linda?" Charlie asked a concern in his voice. She whimpered a response, tears beginning to come down her face.

"Charlie." She was able to breathe out. He rushed over to her, trying to help her up, her out stretched hands stopped him. They were covered with scratches too.

"Please don't touch me..." She cried pulling away from him to show scratch marks to her legs and chest as well. Her shirt was ripped open and his mind connected all the facts to put together that something horrible had happened to her. How she got here, he did not know.

"Linda, what happened?" He asked. She whimpered again, turned away from him,

"I... I saw you last night, when you walked by the restaurant and saw me and Tyler. I got so mad, I wanted you to leave me alone so I made up a lie to him and followed you back here. I sat in my car for a long time thinking about what I would say to you and when I finally got out a man... He grabbed me..." She began to choke on her words, "He forced me into the alley..." Her sobs were over taking her body and he wished he could hold her as her whole body shook.

"It's going to be okay, Linda. I'm here." He whispered, trying to soothe her without touching her. Her cries would not stop and just increased in volume.

"Linda, we have to take you to the hospital." He tried to encourage her; she shook her head no adamantly,

"Charlie, I can't. Tyler will find out and not want to marry me..." She cried.

"Linda, this was not your fault!" Charlie reassured her in a stern way.

"Please, Charlie. I can't." She whispered, trying to cover herself as best she could. She continued to shake her head. Charlie took over his suit jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders without touching her and stood up,

"Linda, as much as I know you should report this and go to the hospital. I still love you enough to respect that you don't want to." She looked up at him, putting her arms through the sleeves of the coat, a shake still remaining in her body.

"Charlie, can I, can I use your shower?" She asked, shaking uncontrollably. He nodded, against his better judgment and helped her up with her consent. She walked shakily towards the door and let him help her up the stairs. Her skirt was ripped up the side and she was missing a shoe as she hobbled towards the door.

"I think my ankle's broken" She murmured as they passed into the doors.

"It's okay, I'll call my Mom, and she used to be a nurse." He assured her.

"Please don't tell her what happened." She pleaded as they made their way up the stairs, one at a time.


	13. Chapter 13

The brisk Minnesota air lingered through the halls of the quiet apartment. A faint breeze ran through the rooms. The entry door sat untouched since Adam Banks stormed out through it almost an hour before, the picture on the wall beside it still sitting on the floor. Charlie Conway's only thoughts were that of a woman he had once loved more than himself. The trickling of water on the other side of the wall to his bedroom was the only noise in his head besides the resounding urge to yell and punch something that was beating like a drum in the back of his mind. Casey Bombay had entered the small room almost ten minutes before at the urging of her son to look in on the frightened girl just inside that had not made a sound for the past 45 minutes since she'd taken occupancy of the room. His mother had hesitated knowing that Linda would need her space but went anyway at the pleading eyes of her son.

Charlie's head was spinning with terrible thoughts and of images he didn't want to think of. How could anyone do that to someone? Not just any someone but his someone. His Linda. The Linda that had never hurt anyone in her entire life and yet someone would hurt her, knowing it would scar her for life. He stood from his bed on which he'd been seated and angrily walked towards the open door of his room and out into the hall. He could hear soft whispers and murmurs behind the closed door but could not make out what was being said. A sob escaped the closed door and Charlie's heart broke in two. _How did he handle this?_ _How did any guy handle this when their girl had been mistreated in such a fashion?_ He couldn't hold her, she wouldn't want him to or let him for that matter. He couldn't even touch her for fear of freaking her out. So many thoughts were running through his head that he didn't even stop to think that this wasn't even his girlfriend anymore and that someone else would have to deal with these questions. He ran a hand over his face in frustration. No, he was here with her now and he wasn't going to let her go through this alone be damned the consequences.

The door behind him opened slowly and Ashlee Banks peeked out, carefully holding down the super hero t-shirt she was wearing against her knees. Charlie had to look twice as to which door she was coming out of this morning and he shook his head in confusion as Averman's face appeared behind hers, his eyes blood shot from leaving his contacts in.

"Hey, do you know if Portman came home last night?" Averman's voice was just above a whisper. Charlie shook his head no. He hadn't see Dean since the morning before, drinking out of the orange juice container in the kitchen as usual. Ashlee moved to come out of the room and head for the bathroom when Charlie's eyes widened.

"You can't go in there. It's um, Linda, she's sick." He lied, standing in front of the door way and stretching his arm across the opening in a non threatening way. Ashlee was a little shocked but nodded, stepping back into Averman's room as to not be seen by the other roommates. Averman smiled slightly at her and stepped out into the hall to converse with Charlie for a moment while she looked around his room.

"So, Linda's here? Did you bring her home last night?" Averman asked, raising his eyes brows suggestively. Charlie felt his temper heat up and he had to keep himself from blasting Averman for talking about Linda that way. He took a deep breath through his nostrils and began to answer him,

"No, I..." Charlie was cut off by the opening of the door behind him and the carefully towel wrapped Linda emerging, a look of freight still on her face. Casey Bombay, held her around the shoulders as they moved from the bathroom into the bedroom two feet away and closed the door. Her eyes were blank but red from tears and she struggled to pull down the towel just an inch farther over her bruised thighs. Averman's face went white as a sheet when he saw the state Linda was in. She had cuts all over her legs and arms and a large bruise was forming on her right cheek where she'd been struck. The tears that were running down her face were silent but words didn't need to explain she was hurting. A terrified groan escaped Charlie's lips and Averman glanced in his direction to see his eyes welding up with unshed tears. He gulped down a sob before speaking,

"Charlie, I'm sorry man. What happened?" He asked, not wanting to intrude but wondering if there was anything he could do.

"Nothing, she's going to be fine." Charlie huffed, moving into the living room and out of the sight of the bedroom door. He couldn't look at her right now for fear of screaming in anger. Averman sighed, returning to his own doorway and motioning for Ashlee to use the bathroom now. She skipped across the hall, kissing him on the cheek as she went before closing the bathroom door with a click, she hadn't seen any of the events, luckily enough. Averman smiled vaguely aware everything he wanted was happening but feeling horrible for his best friend who may have just lost everything.

Belle Montgomery sat silently at her window watching the rain fall down the window panel. Why did she always have to get mixed up with the wrong type of guys. She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head there for a moment wondering how long it would be before she could no longer sit in this position. Silently placing her hand between her bend knees and stomach, she rested it on the tiniest bump that had began to form there.

"Oh, baby. What should I do?" She asked softly. Taking a deep breath before she looked back out the window before her door opened with a bang. She jumped slightly, turning quick to look at her intruder. Her Mother stood in the brightly lit doorway, her arms crossed over her chest like a mad teacher. Belle's room had been dark, the sun blocked with the rain had made the room remain dark without a light on for the majority of the morning. Belle's eyes began to adjust to the intrusion, she held a hand up to see who had entered her room.

"Mom, what are you doing?" She asked, still a bit shaken from the bang. Her Mother's eyes glared daggers at her daughter before she moved to speak.

"It seems, you've been lying to me." She said calmly, moving further into the room. Belle flinched, _how did she know?_

"Mom, I...I haven't lied to you, what are you talking about?" She tried to cover. Her Mother moved further into the room,

"I know what's going on." Her Mother's words dripped with venom. She had hissed the words through her teeth. Belle cringed at the words, almost not wanting to look at her. She knew how her Mother got when angry.

"Why didn't you tell me Todd was throwing an engagement party for the two of you on his yacht?" Mrs. Montgomery hissed, immediately going to Belle's closet to locate an appropriate dress for her daughter for the occasion. Belle let out the breath she'd been holding in and watched her Mother flip through dresses. She had completely forgotten about the party considering the trip she'd been on the past few days. Her Mother mumbled to herself as she flipped through the endless array of dresses and dress clothes that were in Belle's closet. She sighed deeply, getting up to help her Mother.

"Mom, I just forgot. Look, I'm sure I can find something to wear myself. It's not for a couple of weeks." Belle assured, trying to lead her mother away from her closet.

"Oh, nonsense. I have the perfect dress for you." She said, finally pulled a dress from the rack and holding it up for Belle to see. Her face immediately went white. The dress that was held up in front of her happened to the be the same dress she had worn to the party where she had met Dean almost 2 and half months before. She nearly grabbed the dress from her Mother's hands and threw it back into the closet.

"No, Mom, I hate that dress, there's got to be something else." Belle promised, shifting around some other dresses to find something else, anything else.

"No, this is the dress I bought you last Christmas. I want to see you wear it, besides it will totally attract Todd's attention." Her Mother giggled like a school girl looking over the red material. The v neck line gave Belle memories of her night with Dean and she felt her head begin to spin. Before her Mother to say another word about the dress, Belle was rushing out of the room and to the bathroom. She had barely gotten the door closed before the contents of her stomach came back to haunt her.

Tammy Duncan sat alone in her hospital room watching the sun reappear after the rain had disappeared in the early afternoon hours. It was hard to grasp the fact that part of her life was gone in a millisecond and she could do nothing about it. She didn't even have any remnants of the four previous years of her life. not one shred to prove they even happened. Flipping the television on in front of her, she sighed deeply at the news that played in on the TV. It seemed that the major topic in the news that day was that of the choices for a presidential nominee for the Republican party. She sighed again, as she was sure she had already made up her mind who she would vote for and yet, she couldn't remember who or why or even what was going on in the world to base a decision. That's another day or two she's have to spend re-researching topics and opinions and making a fair judgment on what she believed in. _What did she believe in?_ She asked herself. She almost turned off the TV again with disgust if she hadn't heard her name from the news anchor just as she was lifting the remote to the TV. Tammy's eyes scanned back in confusion before they showed the taped footage from the accident the night before. She winches almost feeling what it felt like to hit the ice again but yet, she couldn't remember hitting it and then the most surprising thing happened to her. It wasn't a memory, she could tell that for sure but it was a feeling. She tried to remember what it was she was thinking of but she could feel hands on her shoulders, a whispering in her ear and wet drops on her face. She closed her eyes for a moment to try to focus but almost as if it was fate the news cast changed to Fulton clutching her in her arms after the fall. The news was speculating that this was her boyfriend and for all she knew, Fulton had said he was. She smiled to herself, looking again out the window. Feelings were a start, maybe she could work her way up to a memory.

The door closed softly behind Averman as he stood at his desk looking over all the drawings he'd been working on in his spare time away from the diner. He turned quickly to advert his eyes as to not draw attention to what he had been thinking about when Ashlee re-entered the room. Ashlee smiled her beautiful smile and Averman remembered why he loved her so much.

"So,.." He said trying to start a conversation without actually having anything to say. She smiled, knowing he was becoming his nervous self again and soon she would have to form sentences for him. She didn't mind so much anymore, it actually made her feel a bit special that she made him so nervous. Trying to look over his shoulder she wanted to get a look at whatever it was he was hiding on the desk. They were friends so they could share private stuff now, she figured.

"So,..." She repeated with the same hopeful tone that it would start a conversation. Averman smiled back at her and looked to the ceiling with nervousness. With a step of two, Ashlee was at his side and looking at the drawings he began to pick up and hide.

"No, Ave, I want to see them." She assured, catching one before he could put it away. The drawing was done beautifully and depicted a female super hero in green and white. The long flowing blonde hair sort of reminded her of her own and the face seemed somewhat familiar. Her eyes looked over to him as he blushed feverously.

"I was going to put them all away this morning but, you know, I didn't get to it before you woke up." He mumbled, moving away and running his fingers through his red hair with nervousness. Ashlee took a deep breath before responding. She'd never been so overcome with admiration.

"Is this me?" She asked quietly. Averman smiled nervously, "No, that's Lorna, the mystic princess. She's the heroine in my comic I'm writing." He sighed deeply, trying to see if she bought the story. She smiled again, looking at the page.

"You're writing a comic?" Ashlee asked with a bit of a laugh. Averman almost took offense to the chuckle but instead opened his portfolio to show her the rest of the pages of that comic and almost a dozen more completed ones. Ashlee gasped, looking over all the drawings and words. There had to be a dozen of them. Her eyes looked back up at him with admiration.

"Can I read them? I mean, Lorna sure looks like me and I kind of want to know what I would do if I was a... a... what was it?" She asked, truly inspired.

"She's a mystic princess." Averman finished for her. Ashlee smiled,

"Right. So, I can?" She asked, not wanting to touch them if he didn't want her to. He nodded slightly, rubbing the back of his neck with more nervousness. It wasn't like he stalked her but yet it kind of was. Every mannerism Lorna had he had picked up from Ashlee. She would truly know how he felt when she was done reading but it suddenly didn't scare him as much as it would have a few days before. The only thing he feared was Dean. Oh, crap, Dean, he reminded himself with a kick in the butt.

"Ashlee, it's getting late and Dean could be home at any minute. Are you sure you want to stay?" He asked hoping she wouldn't care or maybe was ready to take on Dean on her own. Ashlee's eyes seemed to glaze over a bit before she looked away.

"Yeah, I should be going. Where's my car again?" She asked. Averman nodded,

"It's still at the hall, I'll give you some money for a cab there." He offered, grabbing his wallet but she nodded it off before grabbing her dress and beginning to pull it on under the super hero t-shirt she was still wearing.

"Nah, I'll be fine." She whispered. Averman nodded before turning away to let her dress in peace. "All done." She let him know as he turned around to Ashlee Banks, the royal princess of Edina MN. She smiled a small smile before grabbing her purse and beginning to walk to the door before she stopped, her hand poised on the handle of the door. Averman watched her carefully before she turned back towards him.

"Ave, thank you for everything. I'm a train wreck most of the time and it was good to have someone to take care of me for once, instead of just disappointing me every time." She almost whispered the last part but Averman was close enough to her hear. "What you mind, if I took a comic or two of yours to read. I really want to see them?" She asked. How could he deny her, he told himself before handing over 1 and 2 in his series, she wouldn't get too much info from them, he thought silently. She took the pages in their plastic and held them against her chest protectively.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to them." She promised before turning and opening the door to step out. With one last look back, Ashlee Banks was again gone and Averman was left feeling like the guy that never got the girl.

Adam Banks sat in his office on a Saturday afternoon. How pathetic was he? He kept asking himself as he stared at the latest investment budget plan of Banks International. Even his Father wasn't here today and that was a first. He was by himself in his top floor office, his suit still on from the night before but nothing to go home to. His apartment on 8th Ave was drafty and big. It was too big for just him. Thinking about it only made him want to sell the place more than he already did. Standing from his chair he moved to the window and looked at the cars passing below. He would always be alone; he'd decided that this morning when he'd finally gotten up the courage to leave his old room after realizing she wasn't coming back. He could never love someone the way he loved her. Anyone he married now would always be second best and even he wasn't that heartless. He would silently watch as she married Scooter and had their baby. The perfect little family would finally be hers as she always wanted. He wouldn't stand in her way or cause a scene. He'd stood back for 8 years way not twenty more, he mused. She deserved so much better than even he could give her. He smiled to himself and thought at least she'd be happy. He could take all the pain and sadness if that's what life needed from him to make her happy. He absently ran a hand through his overgrown sandy blonde hair and leaned his head against the window to feel its coolness against his forehead.

He'd never thought about family until recently. As in last night recently and he couldn't help but wish the baby Julie carried could somehow have been his but that was a real fantasy. For a girl he'd never even kissed, it was unthinkable. He didn't look anything like Scooter either, he thought with a sigh. He couldn't even pass the kid off as his own if it had any of Scooters traits. Scooter had dark hair while Adam had dirty blonde. Scooter had brown eyes while Adam had blue. Maybe the kid would look like Julie and he could pretend when he saw it. Would he even get the chance to see it? He wasn't sure if he'd messed things up completely with Julie. Would she still even be his friend after the scene that morning? How did he get on the topic of Julie's kid being his own anyway? He thought with a chuckle. He was still trying to get her to talk to him and she was probably reunited with Scooter as he was thinking up all these stories. He was really turning into a nut job.

He laughed lightly glancing at all the streets they used to skate through to get to the park for an unofficial practice and he remembered how it used to be. Charlie and Linda, Guy and Connie, Tammy and Fulton, well almost if you asked Fulton and Julie and him. That would never have happened. By the time he realized his feelings she was already the willing prey of the senior goalie. It had been the final game between varsity and junior varsity their freshmen year. He was finally back on the team after being sent to play on the varsity team for the majority of the year. Why was it always him that ended up being the bad guy? He spent most of the year hearing all the negative things the varsity team had to say about his friends and more than one comment about Connie or Julie in a very uncomfortable way. Scooter always seemed to be the voice of reason to those apes but that didn't make him like him anymore when he kissed Julie after that game. He sighed, maybe it was time for him to grow up and realize all his high school crush days were over and it was never going to be anyway. He took a deep inhale and pushed off on the wall of glass. There wouldn't be a nice Adam Banks anymore she'd taken that with her when she slammed the door in his face that morning. No, from now on, Adam Banks didn't care what anyone thought of him and he knew exactly where he needed to start. Picking up his suit jacket from the back of his chair, he grabbed his keys from the desk and shut his laptop before exiting the office with a silent click of the door.

The clock read 3:07 pm when Guy Germaine rolled over from his drunken slumber and unto the floor with a thump. He groaned slightly, rubbing his head as shooting pains ran through his temples to the inside of his eyes. _Whoever invented hangovers was a real A-hole_, he thought with a grumble. The numerous beer cans scattered over his small bedroom floor indicated just how many he'd consumed the night before but he couldn't remember after number 4. He lay in the pool of cans for a moment longer before resting his cheek against the cool wood floor and hoping to die where he lay. It just wasn't fair. Life sucked so he drank it away but the drinking made him want to die. He guessed it was true that there really was no escape from your problems, they were still there when he woke up.

His cheek grazed the floor as he tried to stand and slipped in the remains of a half full can that he must have brought to bed with him.

It was hopeless he thought with a groan. He might as well just stay there and pray for help to come and save him. As luck would have it the door swung open a few seconds later and Dean Portman looked at the crumpled mess that was Guy Germaine. "You look like shit…" He muttered, looking down at his roommate. Guy had to chuckle slightly at the observation. "Gee, thanks." He groaned back, gripping his head against his hand. Dean shrugged before stepping over the beer cans and getting a grip on Guy from under his arms. He lifted the smaller man to stand and helped him stumble through the clanging of the cans to the bathroom across the hall. They had just barely made it to the toilet before Guy purged his system of all the contents and then some. Dean laughed again, leaning in the doorway. "Late night, last night?" Dean asked with a smile. Guy shook his head no, feeling well enough to stand and make it to the sink. "No, just didn't want to think last night." He grumbled, rinsing his mouth out and toweling off the water from his face. "Where is everyone?" He asked, looking down the hall. Portman glanced at the message board near the door but found only Averman had left a message that he was going to work. "Don't know. Looks like Averman went to work but I haven't seen Fulton since yesterday and who knows where Charlie is."

Guy walked into the kitchen to pour a glass of water and sat at the counter to rub his head. Portman followed suit, standing at the counter, his gut telling him he needed to speak to someone about everything that had been going on. Guy looked like a willing victim and he might not even remember it later.

"So…" He started, waiting for Guy to look up at him, which Guy did as he threw back a couple aspirin and some water. "I had an interesting day yesterday. You want to tell me about yours and I can tell you about mine?" Dean asked hopeful. Guy looked up at him a little confused, _when did Dean ever want to stare his feelings? Was this really Dean Portman or had aliens abducted the real Portman and put this clone in his place_. Come to think of it, the other Dean Portman wouldn't have helped him to the bathroom either but let him lay there on the floor in his own vomit before complaining it stunk.

"Are you feeling alright?" Guy just had to ask the man in front of him. Dean nodded, sitting down next to him to begin his story.

"Do you remember Belle Montgomery? She was like 2 or 3 years younger than us in school?" Dean asked. Guy rolled his eyes; didn't this guy ever get enough tail? Guy nodded absently,

"Yeah, she'd that Politician's daughter. What is he a congressmen or something now?" Dean seemed to shrug, not really knowing but continuing his story.

"Yeah, something like that, well, I met her at a party a few weeks ago and one thing lead to another and I woke up the next morning in a dorm room and she was gone." Guy had to laugh at this; Dean was usually the one leaving at the end of the night, not the other way around. Dean gave him a death glare hoping he'd stop laughing but it didn't work. "She managed the sneak out?" Guy chuckled, turning back down to his glass of water. Dean nodded, "But that doesn't matter, what matters is that she sent me a letter a couple of days ago telling me she's having a kid." At that Guy spit all his water out of his mouth and showered the entire kitchen. It just wasn't right, Portman with a kid? What was this world coming to? Guy looked over at him with wide eyes.

"Wh… What are going to do about it?" Guy asked, trying to find the words.

"Well, she wanted to have an abortion but I talked her out of it. We're going to keep the baby but the problem's not that. The problem is that I love Ashlee but I can't seem to give her everything she wants. She takes care of me, believes all my lies but there's just this one piece I can't seem to commit to her alone." Dean seemed like he was trying to figure it out himself.

"It's called hormones, Dean." Guy filled in the blank for him. Dean shook his head, "Nah, man. It's just when I'm with Ashlee, I'm happy. I feel like I can be anyone she wants me to be, I can change for her. But when I'm with Belle, I don't have to be anyone but me. I don't know it's crazy. Belle's getting married anyway, if her fiancé will accept the baby, there's no need for me to be even wondering." Dean thought about another man raising his child and his blood began to boil. It hadn't affected him that much when Belle had expressed her want to stay with the Governor's son.

"It sounds like you want Belle but you want to keep Ashlee too but in the end you're going to have to decide which one means more to you." Guy stated, getting up from his seat to go lay on the couch a few feet away. Dean nodded, shaking his head in frustration.


	14. Chapter 14

_A couple of weeks later_

The room was silent as Charlie watched Linda sleep, her body tossing and turning at nightmares of the events of that night. No matter how many times Charlie and Casey tried to convince her to go to the hospital she did not faulter in her resolve to say right where she was, which was in Charlie's bed with the covers pulled up over to her neck. Charlie watched her from the chair at the bedside that he had been occupying since he brought her up from the street that morning. He slept in it, ate in it and walked her every day. He was afraid to leave her to go to work and had called in a vacation for a family emergency. He was surprised the guys hadn't caught wind of what was going on but he hadn't said anything too wrapped up in their own thing. Her face was just swelling more and her eyes was swollen shut but there was nothing Charlie could do but take care of her. Right now the only way to do that was to sit here and watch her have the same nightmare over and over again without being able to touch her. He groaned in frustration as she turned quickly in her sleep and cried out. He couldn't take this anymore. He needed to get her help whether she wanted it or not. Picking up the phone he called his mother back who had assured him she would be back in a heartbeat should they need her. She picked up the phone on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Mom, can you come over. I'm taking Linda to the hospital." He said firmly, looking back at the withering girl in his bed.

Julie Gaffney stood outside the familiar door on Orchard St she had called home for almost two years. She almost wanted to cry that she had returned to this place, she didn't really want to be here but he was the father of her unborn child and she needed to hear him out even if she wasn't staying. She raised her hand to knock but thought better of it, instead she thought of the man she left behind. He would have probably followed her here if she hadn't practically run out of the apartment to hide in Connie's. Her eyes glazed slightly at the thought before she raised her hand again before realizing she still had a key. It took only a moment for her to find the key in her bag before she slid it into the lock and opened the door. The apartment was silent as she sat down her bag and looked around. Everything seemed to be in the same spot that she left it. Scooter hadn't bothered to do the dishes but the living room seemed to be cleaned. She sat down on the familiar blue sofa before glancing to the phone and answering machine. All the messages had been heard but the thing that interested her was the photo of her and scooter from the senior prom. She sighed, leaning back on the couch remembering that night but as if she wasn't already going insane, her mind wandered to that of Adam Banks by himself at the team table as she danced with Scooter. She had danced with him once that night because she had felt so bad for him. No, she thought, she could not keep going back to thoughts of Adam when she had just come home. Hearing the floor creak from the bedroom, Julie rose from the couch and headed in that direction glancing at her watch. Scooter must of stayed home today, it was a Thursday after all. She smiled slightly, hoping he would be happy to see her. The door was shut tightly and she saw a shadow move underneath. Her hand hesitated for a moment on the handle before she took a deep breath and entered the room. Scooter was asleep on the bed, a sheet covering his lower half while the top half of him was naked and glistening with sweat. Julie was just about to speak when the bathroom door opened and a girl walked out in just a towel.

"Scooter, I.." She stopped mid sentence when she saw Julie standing in the doorway, her hand placed protectively over her stomach. Scooter stirred slightly towards the girl to speak but stopping to look at Julie.

"Jules.. you're home." He almost smiled. She nearly screamed out of frustration before she stormed out of the room and down the hall. She heard the murmuring of the voices of Scooter and the girl before the girl quickly dressed and left the apartment in a hurry. Julie looked around the living room for something to throw but instead spotted a box on the floor of the open hall closet. There was no doubt in her mind what needed to be done, now more than ever. Slowly reaching down, she picked up the box and began to load things into it. Scooter came out of the bedroom at that moment, pulling a shirt over her head.

"Jules, so you decided you wanted to come home?" He asked. Julie ignored him while picking things that were hers from the items in the living room. She had decided to leave all the pictures, purposefully picking one up from the table. It happened to be the prom picture and as she remembered Adam for the millionth time, she let a scream escape her lips and she flung the picture at Scooter's head.

"WOW! Babe, what are you doing?" He asked. She didn't even grant him a response instead she picked up the next picture and threw it at his awaiting head. His goalie skills allowed him to duck once again but he had got the point.

"Okay, I see you're angry!" He finally realized, backing away. Julie lifted another picture as he held his hands up for mercy.

"Okay, stop! I'm sorry!" He yelled. Julie held the frame for a moment longer. "Look, I messed up. I thought you were leaving with that rich kid the other night, I was half drunk anyways so it didn't take much more to take her home with me, she's been here ever since. I'm sorry, I was hurting." He pleaded.

"She's been two damn weeks, Scooter?" She yelled, gripping the frame in a threatening manner.

"I'm sorry..." He pleaded. Julie gripped the frame a bit tighter before lowering it.

"Scooter.." She whispered, " I'm sorry just isn't good enough this time. Are you going to tell that to your son or daughter?" Julie asked, dropping the picture back to the table and continuing into the next room to collect her things.

"It's okay." Casey Bombay soothed, running her hand over Linda's frail hair. Charlie paced back and forth in the small waiting room at the county hospital. She'd finally managed to convince Linda that the man that did this to her was still out there and could possibly do this to someone else so she needed to go to the emergency room and file a report. It had been two weeks of trying to get Linda out of his room before Charlie had had enough. Linda had cried and pleaded and begged for them to keep this quiet but Charlie's pleas to let him take care of her had finally caused her to stop fighting them. It was true that most of the evidence would have been washed away with the shower Linda had taken at the apartment and the days since the attack but hopefully the doctor's could put together a relatively good case to find this person with her clothes and exam.

Charlie continued to the pace the length of the waiting room until Linda's name was called by a short blond nurse waiting at the door to the exam rooms. Charlie stepped toward his Mother and ex-girlfriend but the nurse took Linda's other arm and helped her into the door. "It's best you stay out here son." Casey quickly regarded Charlie with a sympatric look and gripped his hand before the door swung shut behind them. Charlie groaned out loud, running a hand through his hair and sitting out in the waiting room to wait for any news, this would be a long day.

The wind outside the truck blow gently against its side, shifting it from side to side as it rumbled down the interstate. Greg Goldberg looked nervously over at his passenger as she gripped her stomach in a protective fashion, moving with the cab of the truck and stared blankly out the window. "So…" He started, glancing quickly from the road ahead to his passenger and then back again before he lost control. "You want to tell me why I drove all the way out to Northfield with my Dad's bakery truck to pick you up?" He asked, motioning to the load of possessions and furniture that filled the back of the truck moving towards the city. Julie sighed deeply, wiping the few tears that had fallen. "I really don't want to talk about it right now, okay? I promise I'll owe you a big ice cream sundae after this." She grumbled, looking back out the window. Greg smiled lightly, looking down at his own stomach with admiration. In the past two and a half weeks she'd managed to push the man she loved and the father of her child as far away from her as they could go. It was stupid of her to try to go back to Scooter after all the gut feelings telling her not to. She should have known that the minute she left he'd have someone else in their bed. Their bed, she thought with a chuckle, it hadn't been their bed in a long time. Why didn't he even think about her, about them and the family that they already had on the way? She could have killed him with her bare hands. Her tightened fist loosened and her hand grazed her swollen stomach again before she tried to smile. Goldberg knew it was forced but it made him feel a little better.

She supposed she had backed Scooter into a corner by getting pregnant but it wasn't like she planned it out to trap him. Sitting on the lip of the tub waiting for the little positive sign to appear in the window had been the longest 20 minutes of her life. She had cried with happy tears that day, thinking it would be a new life for her. Looking back, it had given her a new life but it was one without Scooter in it. She silently open and closed her LG Chocolate cell phone that she had retrieved from the kitchen counter before leaving the apartment forever. Out of habit she flipped through the contacts list and stopped as Adam's name lit up with the curser bar. Her had called multiply times over the past two weeks but all his voicemails went unheard. If she called him, _what would she say? Would he be mad at her? Would he not even speak with her?_ She didn't want to find out. Somehow it was better not knowing but hoping that you still had that friend out there if you needed them. She quickly deleted the messages and slid the phone closed again and looked back out the window.

Julie sighed with exhaustion, leaning her head on her hand to watch the city pass by. Goldberg sighed with her, still checking on her every few seconds to make she was alright. "You know…" He started again, fearing she'd be mad with him but he had driven out to pick her up when she'd called crying. "You can always stay with me and the folks; we got a great guest bedroom with frilly girly things in it." He offered. She couldn't help but laugh a little at the offer but shook her head. "No thank you, Goldberg. I'm going to drop most of this off at a storage unit I rented and then stay with Connie for now. She could really use a friend." Julie smiled slightly. Goldberg smiled, "How bout we stop off at the bakery and I get you something to eat first? The baby should eat." He asked looking from her to her stomach. She shook her head no, "No thanks, after that last lunch you gave me freshmen year, you can keep your pastries to yourself." She laughed. He seemed to laugh too. "Yeah, but this time you'll have an excuse to throw up everything afterwards." He threw in before they both started to laugh. "Seriously though, I'm here if you need me, we all are. Ducks till the end, right?" He said as she seemed to nod. She knew one Duck for sure who would not be coming to her aid anytime soon.

Fulton Reed arrived back at the hospital room to find it empty. He's been coming every day for the past two weeks to try to get her to remember something. She seemed to enjoy his company when he could make it past the guards. The sheets had been changed, the bathroom cleaned and the closet empty. They must have discharged Tammy that morning while he was away. The flowers he gripped tightly in his hand dropped to the floor and he sat on the bed for a moment to take in her smell that still lingered in the air. It was lilacs and vanilla, a scent that was purely hers. He would find her and he would make her remember. Life wasn't that cruel that they had just found each other again only to rip them apart again. He would find her if it was the last thing he did.

Connie Moreau sat silently searching the street below for any sign of the man she urned to see. His bike was chained to the steps like it always was but it hadn't moved in the past few days. She didn't know if he'd been home or just hadn't taken the bike with him but either way she wondered what he was doing. _Did he go out and find some other girl to take his mind off her and her job? Did he fall asleep in a bar somewhere, drinking her away?_ She guessed she'd never know unless he chose to talk to her again. She looked back into the apartment as Julie cleaned up the living room, setting out pictures of the Ducks and her family. The place actually looked to be coming together as Goldberg brought some more boxes through the door with the hand cart.

"Well, this is the last of it, pretty lady." He said, pushing the boxes off of the lift. Julie smiled,

"Thanks again, Goldberg." He seemed to chuckle slightly,

"So, you're living in the same building as the guys? That's funny. Have you been up to see them yet?" Goldberg asked Connie. She nodded slightly, her whole body feeling very drained from the HC.

"Yeah, Charlie's been over a couple of times and the other guys have talked to me in passing." She mumbled, going to sit on the couch. Goldberg nodded, a question burning in the back of his mind but he wasn't sure he should ask it. Oh, well, he was Goldberg after all, he had to ask.

"So, are you and Guy getting back together?" He looked at the ceiling after the question to avoid the stare he knew he would get. Connie shook her head,

"No, I lied to him. He doesn't want to talk to me." Connie explained, curling her knees up to her chest to rest her head on them.

"Okay, well, thanks again Goldberg. We'll have you over for dinner sometime okay?" Julie asked, trying to usher him out the door. He smiled and nodded,

"Yeah, you got the number." He said, backing up out the door with the cart and waving to Connie. She nodded back, watching Julie shut to door.

"It's time for your pills." Julie reminded her, watching her friend from the doorway. Connie nodded, standing to walk to the kitchen and get a glass of water. Julie was at her side in a moment. "I was thinking that I'd start looking for a job tomorrow." Julie mentioned as she reached up to the top shelf for the glass Connie was trying to reach. The brunette's eyes darted to her blonde roommate.

"Julie, you shouldn't be working, I mean, you're pregnant. That's why you left the library." She reminded her. Julie seemed to laugh.

"Yeah, pregnant not disabled and besides if I'm staying here, I intend to pay my half of the rent and bills. I left the library because it was two cities over." Connie was going to protest but Julie silenced her before looking in the fridge with a sigh. "I'm going grocery shopping. Is there anything you want?" Julie asked. Connie shook her head no, gulping down the pills with a head nod. The door clicked shut behind her and she gripped the counter top in her hands. The pain was definitely getting worse.

The emergency room doors opened to an exhausted Casey Bombay exiting the exam rooms. Charlie stood up from the plastic chair he'd been napping in, with a new urgency in his step. Casey stopped him with a raise of her hand.

"She's hurt pretty bad, there were some internal injuries, some tears and damage. The doctors are with her now but they don't know how much damage will be permanent." Casey looked into her son's eyes as she spoke. "I also called her fiancé, I figured he should be here with her when the news comes in. he's been worried sick these past two weeks." Charlie nodded in agreement, not really wanting to admit that was probably what she needed most right now.

"Will she be okay?" He asked softly. Casey's eyes glistened as she turned her head to the side and looked at her grown up son with worry.

"Physically, it will be a few weeks before she won't feel pain. Emotionally, she's got a long road ahead of her." He nodded again, looking down into her eyes.

"I feel like this is my fault, she was coming to talk to me. I saw her at the café when I was walking home from your house the other night and she thought I was following her. I wasn't I just stopped to look at her for a minute. She followed me home and sat in her car for I don't know how long before she got out only to be dragged into the alley." He closed his eyes tight to stop the images running through his head. His imagination was on high drive and would not stop formulating what could have taken place that night. Casey gripped his upper arm in her hand, giving him her best mom glare.

"Listen to me Charlie Conway, this was not your fault. It was not Linda's fault either. There are sick people in this world and you can't predict them or try to understand them. The only thing we can do is make sure we get her the help she's going to need and try to give as much information to the police as we can." He nodded absently again, still feeling the regret bubbling in his stomach. He should have brought her here sooner. Good thing he hadn't eaten today or it might have ended up on the waiting room floor. The doors behind him opened with a gust of cool air the man Charlie recognized from the café strode up to the desk taking off his leather gloves as he went. Charlie immediately noticed the heavy turtleneck sweater the man was wearing and the sunglasses that seemed to be out of place in the over cast weather.

"That's Tyler Larkin, Linda's Fiancé. I'm just going to show him to her room." Casey said letting go of Charlie's arm. Casey met him at the desk and they shook hands very formally before he took his sunglasses off, revealing a cut on the inside of his left eye brow that looked to be scarred over. He seemed to joke with Casey that he had received it during his weekly basketball game with some of the office guys but Charlie felt a weird feeling about him, he hoped did not turn out to be right.

Guy Germaine laid on the couch watching Sesame Street reruns when a knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He got up just as Fulton emerged from his room. He had just come home a few minutes before saying he wasn't going to be home long he has some stuff to do. Guy could see he had changed his clothes. Another knock hurried him to the door and he pulled it open with a whoosh of air. Adam Banks stood in the hall, his hair a bit of a mess, his suit a bit wrinkled and two bags at his feet. Guy looked at him for a minute exchanging a silent conversation between friends.

"I quit my job…" Adam finally stated, looking down at the floor. Guy nodded for a minute before he opened the door wider to let him in. Adam slowly began to smirk, kicking one bag in while he carried the other two. Fulton looked him up and down for a minute before he grabbed the third bag and put it in Banks room.

"So tell me again why we should trust you to stay this time?" Guy inquired, sitting back down on the couch.

"Because I have nowhere else to go and you guys wouldn't turn me out…" He stated quietly.

"Oh but we would." Portman seemed to materialize from the hall with a look of anger on his face. Adam looked down at the hard wood floor.

"Dean, I'm sorry for the way I've acted but you would do the same for your sister, I'm sure of it." Dean seemed to think for a minute before he nodded in agreement. Ashlee hadn't mentioned anything to Adam about her relationship with Dean or lack thereof, they hadn't seen each other in two weeks. Dean liked to think she was cooling off from the party incident.

"Yeah, I would. I know I'm a jerk and I've got to be straight forward with Ashlee but I love her man." Adam seemed to somber at his revelation.

"Just don't hurt her, man. She deserves honesty and trust." Dean sighed, sitting across from him in the other chair.

"So where do we go from here?" Guy asked, looking to his roommates for some peace of mind. Fulton and Adam both shook their heads to the unknown before Portman stood and left the room.

"I'm going to get settled again, I have some furniture that I will sell unless we can use it here." Adam stated standing from his chair and moving towards his room. Fulton stood without motion in the entrance to the hall before looking up and moving to grab his keys.

"I got to go somewhere, I'll be back in a bit." He mumbled going out the door with a bang. Guy just nodded and stared ahead at the TV unfazed by everything going on around him.

Adam opened the door to his room and was immediately overtaken by the smell that was her. It was as if she had taken a bottle of perfume and dropped it somewhere in the room. His blankets smelled of her, his sheets smelled like her and even the clothes he had left in the closet smelled of her. He thought for a minute about buying some air freshener and getting rid of the smell but that would mean she was gone forever too. He would do it eventually but not tonight, he needed the comfort of her scent tonight to get to sleep. Grabbing his pajama's he headed to the bathroom to change, taking one last inhale of breath before he left the room.


	15. Chapter 15

The sun was setting in the west just above the perfectly groomed houses on Kennedy Lane. Fulton Reed watched it disappear behind the house he had been standing in front of for the last fifteen minutes. She was there, he was sure of it, watching a lone shadow pace behind her illuminated window curtain. The sun just barely still grazing the sill. He'd tried every hotel in Minneapolis to be told she won't there before coming here. She had to be here, it wasn't safe for her to be back on the road yet.

Taking in the white house with red shutters Fulton stepped foot to foot. Did she still want him to see her? Sure in the hospital she hadn't really had a choice since he would show up at all hours and seek in. Here she could tell him to go away. He knew her Mother had been preaching to her again about how he wasn't the "right" kind of guy. He wasn't sure if he should knock or start throwing rocks at her window. The idea kind of made him feel 13 again but he knew if her Mother answered the door he wasn't getting in.

Taking a deep breath, Fulton moved the gate aside with a creak and started up the paved walkway to the cherry red front door, Tammy's favorite color. The mailbox he passed said "Duncan" in deep black letters against the red box to match the door and shutters. He laughed to himself, _maybe her parents did care about her more than she thought. At least when it came to colors_. He raised his hand to knock but the door opened before he could manage it. A mane of short red hair looked up at him before moving his index finger to his lips for him to be quiet. Fulton immediately recognized Tommy Duncan even if he was 11 years older than the last time he'd seen him. He still had the same freckles and rosy cheeks and he was still a head shorter than Fulton but that didn't stop Fulton from following his direction. Tommy's head nodded to come in once he was sure Fulton would be quiet. The television spoke to itself in the back ground of the almost silent house, as he entered, but it did little to cover the conversation going on in the living room at the moment.

"I don't understand her! Why would she want to come back here? She's supposed to be on tour. What about her contract? We're losing money ever show she misses!"Her Mother's voice shrilled. Her Father seemed annoyed, shaking his head as he responded to his wife.

"This is her home, though you won't know it since the two of you spend 364 days of the year in hotels. She needs familiar surroundings to get better not city after city of craziness and the chance she could fall again."

"You can't blame me for her terrible schedule it's what we agreed to when she decided to do this." She defended. He scoffed, knowing full well nor he or his daughter would have made a schedule that kept them away so long.

"You two were in town and you couldn't even come home. You couldn't even call to let us know? Tommy and I would have come to you. What about me and Tommy anyway? Is Tammy your only priority now?" He asked flustered with anger.

"No, she is now because she can't remember the last four years of her life and she thinks she's in love with that Reed boy…." Fulton smiled slightly as Tommy shut the door behind him slowly and quietly, keeping his finger to his lips and before tip toeing away from the door.

"And what's so bad about Fulton? Can't you let her live her own life?" Tammy's Father asked with confusion. Fulton didn't stick around to hear the answer he knew was coming. He followed Tommy around the hall to the staircase leading up to the bedrooms on the second floor.

"How is she?" Fulton asked quietly once they were up the stairs. He follow Tommy down the hall once they reached the top. Tommy seemed to shrugged in response,

"The same, though she's been watching the replays of her accident all day on youtube. I don't know if that's go for her or not..." He wondered out loud. They neared the end of the hall as Tommy motioned to the last door on the right. The door had painted pink letters spelling out "Tammy" on the door and Fulton nodded, thanking him before moving to her door with a renewed hope. He knocked lightly, waiting for her to answer. There was a shuffling behind the door before her voice came through, an annoyance resonating in it.

"Leave me alone, Mom! I told you to cancel the rest of the tour. I'm not going anywhere right now!" She yelled. Fulton cleared his throat before speaking.

"It's umm… me. Not your Mom." He said softly, looking down at the floor as Tommy kept a watch on the stairs for the parents to come up. The door swung open immediately, letting the lights from her room shine out into the hall.

"Fulton?" She sighed little, looking down the hall. Tommy seemed to nod at her and she nodded back, pulling him in her room quickly before shutting the door and leaning back against it. He tucked his hands in his pockets looking around her room. It was painted a bright yellow; the white washed wooden bed sitting in the center of the room had a white canopy hung above it. It suited her perfectly, he thought with a smile watching her nervously look around at his scrutiny. There was a matching white vanity with mirror and chair and a white dresser on the opposite wall. Tammy suddenly began to move about, picking up some clothes that were thrown all over the bed and floor. She seemed to have been in this room since she came home a few days before.

"I'm sorry, I was unpacking." She said low, trying to clear a place for him to sit down. "I haven't been here in so long, I think the spiders took up residency in closet." She smiled slightly, folding a sweater from the bed.

"No, it's fine. How's your head?" He asked, reaching for her, to look at her forehead. He hands cupped her face as she turned towards him. The stitches were still there but it looked cleaner than the last time he'd seen it. Her blonde hair had been washed finally and was back to its normal color minus the blood and dirt she had complained about the last time he'd seen her.

"It's fine. It doesn't even hurt anymore." She mumbled, looking up to his eyes. His eyes left the wound and moved to her eyes that were staring intently up at him. They were silent for a moment just looking at each other before she looked down nervously and covered his hands on each of her cheeks with her own. She slowly removed them, turning her face to her open laptop on the bed. She cleared her throat nervously.

"I've been watching the fall. I can't remember it but I remember feelings, emotions about it. I just can't see it" She shook her head confused as he joined her in front of the computer. He silently watched himself jump the barrier and rush to her side.

"Well your eyes were closed." He tried to help. She laughed slightly.

"Yeah, I guess there were..." She mumbled. "I remember your voice and feeling you hold me though." Tammy whispered looking up at him. He nodded, sitting down across from her on the bed.

"I was so worried you'd been seriously hurt." He confirmed. She looked down, avoiding his gaze again before speaking.

"Fulton, in the hospital you said we were in love and we were going to run away…. Why?" She asked, her blue eyes questioned what she couldn't remember. He sighed slightly.

"Your Mother didn't want us to see each other anymore. She wouldn't let me see you at the hospital that's why I had to keep sneaking in and even now. Tommy let me in; your parents don't know I'm here." She looked at him wordlessly before standing and walking to her door. She silently locked the handle before turning around and looking back at him.

"No one is going to interrupt us tonight." She nodded in affirmation. "Not until you tell me everything I want to know."

Fulton nodded, watching her return for the door and sit back across from him, tucking her legs under her on the bed.

"You remember before everything, right?" He asked, taking his jacket off in the warm house and laying it on the vanity chair. She nodded slightly, thinking back to what she could remember.

"You mean like pee-wees, yeah, I remember all that stuff." She said with a smile. He looked down, nervous on how to talk to her about all this.

"Well, I've sort of liked you since pee-wees and when we saw each other the other night at the arena, I thought you liked me too." She smiled, her cheeks turning a slight red.

"Yeah, I have, I just never knew how to say it and then everything got so screwed up. I let my Mom tell me to quit hockey. I don't know why I let her." She mumbled nervously, not looking at him. He smiled now, not feeling so nervous.

"So we went out the other night and got to know each other again and you told me you hated this life, that you wanted to be normal and be with me. So we talked about leaving together after your mom said she forbid us to see each other again. After your show that night, we were going to take off, see the country." He confirmed. She nodded.

"So you like me?" She asked, a hint of a tease in her voice. He laughed out loud now, nodding his head.

"Something like that, considering I was willing to give up everything for you." He promised. Her face got serious for a minute.

"Are you still?" She asked. He looked at her and knew that he would in an instant.

"Yeah, I'd take you anywhere you wanted to go." He nodded. She smiled, looking to her window and back at him.

"I want to go back to where were loved each other." She whispered. He stilled at her words but reached out for her hand,

"I want that too." He said holding onto her securely. "Me too." He repeated.

Connie was relaxing on the new couch in her living room when Julie burst through the door, letting it bang against the wall behind her before it swung shut.

"I got a job!" Julie shouted excitedly. Connie had thought something was actually wrong, so she had sat straight up looking over the back of the couch at her blonde friend. Seeing that nothing was wrong, she slumped back into the cushions, closing her eyes to the setting sun outside the window.

"Did you hear me? I got a job!" Julie yelled excitedly, jumping around the living room. Connie nodded silently.

"Yes, I heard you; I'm just trying to rest. That's great!" Connie nodded. The blonde had been applying for a job for the past few days and had heard nothing back. "Where are the groceries anyway, I thought you said you were going for food when you left?" She asked not opening her eyes. Julie seemed to still for a moment before running back out the door and down the stairs to retrieve the bags from the front steps before someone took them. Connie laughed slightly at her friend but stopped when her abdomen hurt from the vibration. She knew she was getting worse, that much she was sure of but she couldn't admit it. Julie burst back through the door just as excited as before. She hummed to herself as she put the groceries away and rubbed her five month belly with her hand. Connie tried to tune her out for a moment before she came back in and sat on the couch next to her. Connie finally opened her blood shot eyes to look at Julie.

"How are you feeling?" Julie asked looking to her tired friend.

"Same." Connie said quietly, not looking her in the eyes. Julie sighed knowing Connie would never admit when she was getting worse. "So where'd you get this great job?" Connie asked, smiling slightly. Julie waved it off, smiling too.

"The coffee shop around the corner." She brushed it off, more worried about how Connie was feeling. She reached out trying to feel Connie's forehead but was brushed aside as Connie got up from the couch.

"Really, I'm fine." Connie assured her, going to get a glass of water. Taking a glass out of the cabinet and filling it from the tap, she took two large gulps before sighing and leaning against the counter.

"Did you talk to your boss about if you have a job or not?" Julie asked casually. "I mean you haven't been back there since the incident." Connie nodded,

"Yeah, Jake is more concerned about my health then whether I can work or not. He offered to let me do the book keeping for now until I can actually stand for more than a minute or two. It's a bit of a relief, I guess."

"Well that's a start. At least you'll be working." Julie smiled. Connie nodded slightly, thinking again about Guy and how he would be happy she wasn't going to be stripping anytime soon. The phone began to ring from the counter as Julie walked over to answer it.

"Hello?" She smiled slightly at the caller. "Grandma Moreau? How are you?" She smiled as Connie looked up worried from behind her glass of water. She sat it down quickly on the counter.

"No, this is Julie… You remember me from hockey?" Julie asked. "Yes, I was Connie's roommate. I am again actually." Julie laughed at something she has said before nodding slightly. "Sure, here she is." Julie quickly handed the phone to Connie as she took a deep breath, trying to sound normal for her Grandma's sake.

"Hiya Grandma." She said happily.

"Connie, how are you?" She asked in her best Grandmother voice. Connie grimaced.

"I'm fine, how's the little guy?" She asked. Her Gram laughed lightly.

"He's fine. Missing his Mama every day. He asked about you again..." She seemed distant as she spoke.

"I know, give him a big kiss for me, okay? I'll try to come see you guys soon." She promised. Her Grandmother sighed into the receiver.

"Connie, your Grandfather's cancer has come back…" She seemed a bit upset as she tried to contain her tears. "I know we promised to take care of Robbie but with his treatments, I just can't handle both. Robbie is two handfuls on his own and I'm too old for this…" She trailed off, finally breaking to tears on the other end. Connie's eyes glistened as Julie came to stand next to her and listen in.

"So what are you saying, Gram?" Connie already knew but just wanted to confirm.

"I'm saying Robbie needs his Mother and it's time for me to take care of your Grandfather." Connie sighed, nodding slightly.

"Okay." She whispered, holding her side. Julie rubbed her shoulder with reassurance.

"I'm sorry to do this to you, I know you're in a tough spot still." Her Grandmother tried to apologize.

"We'll be dropping him off the day after tomorrow." She finished. Connie nodded to herself.

"Okay, I'll see you then. It's probably for the better." She said to reassure her Grandmother but she needed some herself. She was trying hard not to cry as she hung up the phone and dropped to the floor next to the counter.

"It will be okay." Julie tried to comfort her. "We'll just be two single moms together, right?" She smiled. Connie tried to smile but she felt in the back of her mind that she didn't have long before she was back in the hospital again. How was she going to take care of a kid now?

Dean Portman sat in his room staring at the ceiling. It was a Saturday night and he wasn't out trying to find a party or getting drunk. He hadn't been in weeks. He was lying in his bed thinking about the Mother of his child instead and the look she had in her eyes the last time he saw her. _Was it possible to love someone you barely knew? Was he just in love with his child growing inside her?_ Belle Montgomery had not so much as looked his way when they were in high school. She had been part of the student body, he thought it was the secretary for something like that. She had always seemed too good for him. Come to think of it, neither at Ashley Banks, the cheerleader/brainiac but that was a completely different story. _Ashlee and Belle had to have been in the same class, how did they not know each other? _Dean wondered. Now with Adam moved back in to the apartment, _would he even get to tell Ashlee his side of the story? Did he really deserve to?_ His mind was stirred as the front door opened and shut. It seemed like it was a million miles away from his thoughts.

The shuffling of feet down the hall and the slam of another door let the world know Charlie Conway was home. From where this time, Portman couldn't tell you. He'd been in a foul mood as of late so everyone was staying away from him. Portman didn't feel like moving so he just picked up his cell from the night stand and looked to the call log. Ashlee's number was listed at least a dozen, from the time when he was supposed to have been with her and was instead with Belle. He'd never returned her call that night and she hadn't called back since. He was still letting her cool off. Arrowing down, he found her number. Staring at the highlighted bar, he contemplated calling her. What would he say? _Sorry I kissed you but I'm just so turned on by you angry?_ He shook his head that didn't sound right. After considering the consequences for a moment longer, he hit the send button and put the phone to his ear.

Belle Montgomery was squirming in her seat, trying without success to get away from her Fiancé's tickling hands. Todd Winchester was very good looking, very well educated and the Mayor's son. He was everything a girl could hope for in a husband, yet most of the night had not been spent thinking about him. Her Father had wanted this marriage, not that she didn't love Todd but a marriage of political importance always looked good in the polls. Belle's mind kept wandering back to Dean Portman. _Why couldn't she just get him out of her mind?_ She needed to have a serious talk with Todd and explain the situation but she couldn't seem to focus her thoughts properly. Todd's hands grabbing at her sides didn't help in her head clearing process either. Another laugh escaped her lips as she nearly fell over out of her seat, the other people in the restaurant turning to stare. Todd's face was beaming with laughter as well as he helped her to sit up straight in the crowned restaurant. Some of the other diners stare intently at the couple, fixing their clothes and the last thing he needed was to make the front headline of the daily tomorrow morning. Even though he was out with his fiancé, doing normal couple stuff like getting dinner and seeing a movie later, he knew the press would spin it as they saw fit. _His Father would have his head_, he thought. Belle quickly fixed her sweater which had fallen off one shoulder revealing her black bra strap. She hoped no one had noticed. Someone always notices everything she did though. it was constant when you were the Senator's daughter and Mayor's soon to be daughter in law. Belle sighed, looking around the restaurant again.

"Todd, how many times do I have to tell you not to tickle me? I might pee my pants one of these times and then you'll be sorry." She joked playfully bumping his shoulder. He laughed in return.

"I have faith you can hold your bladder better than that." He laughed, letting the waiter refill his glass of water. Belle tried to contain her laughter and cleared her throat to help her giggling stop.

"So, the party…." Todd started, talking her hand in his and kissing the back. She rolled her eyes. If there was one thing Belle hated more than anything else, it was these stupid social gatherings where everyone pretends to like each other when in reality they're all trying to get the dirt on each other to better their campaigns. otherwise their just there to get completely drunk and make a fool out of themselves.

"Yes, what about the party?" She asked, not looking in his eyes.

"I assume you've told your parents and they will be joining us as well?" He asked; bring her face back to meet his. She smiled as their eyes met. She'd loved him for as long as she could remember. They'd grew up together, making mud pies together as children and now they would spend the rest of their lives together. She had probably ruined her perfect future with one night. She tightened her smile against her teeth,

"Yes, of course they'll be there. My Mother loves yacht liquor." She mused thinking of her Mother and how she could hardly be seen without a drink in her hand these days. Todd chuckled softly.

"Well, I'll have to make sure to have the best there is for the toast then." He chuckled again as Belle thought about how he really didn't understand her sarcastic humor. She was about to tell him just that when her phone began to ring from her pocket. She leaned back, reaching in to retrieve it but before she could see who was calling, Todd had grabbed it from her hand.

"Todd, really? Give me my phone." She huffed reaching for the phone but Todd had already flipped it open and put it to his ear.

"Hello?" He sing songed into the receiver, catching Dean off guard. Should he say something or just hang up? "Hello, anyone there?" Todd asked again before hanging up. "Well, I didn't want to be disturbed on our date night anyway." He laughed throwing the phone on the table. Belle tried to smile but it came out like a grimace. What had gotten into him lately? He stood quickly excusing himself to the restroom before Belle reached for the phone and opened it to see Dean's number as the last received call. She closed her eyes and sighed. Maybe it was for the best she hadn't picked it up. _What she have said anyway?_

Dean softly closed his phone with a click and leaned back to look at the ceiling. _He had no rights over her; she could go out with her fiancé if she wanted on a Saturday night. So why did he feel like crap inside now?_ His thoughts drifted to the night they had spent together, the touch of her skin against his and the look in her eyes. He would hold onto that look as long as he lived. She had trusted him, the first and only time Dean had seen that in someone's face when looking at him. He didn't feel like into his home life now so he rolled over and he slowly drifted off to sleep. Thoughts of Belle Montgomery filling his head.


	16. Chapter 16

The streets were deserted as the wind blew gently against Charlie Conway's third floor window. He wasn't asleep. He couldn't sleep right now, while sick bastards roamed the streets like the one that had raped Linda. He thought about going down to the front steps and sitting there for a while to watch the people that were out this late at night. Maybe he'd run into the jerk and beat him to a pulp so he could never do that to another woman again. He angrily rolled over and punched his pillow with a huff before staring at the bedside clock. It was six minutes after midnight but it had felt like he had been laying in this bed for hours already. The apartment was quiet, even Dean had found his way to his own bed for the night, surprisingly enough. He groaned again, rolling on his back and staring at the ceiling. The lights dancing there only held his attention for a minute. _He wasn't getting sleep tonight_, he thought. A soft knocking from the front door caught his attention and he threw off the covers he had half pulled over himself. He opened his door and headed down the hall just as Adam peered out his door. Being closest to the door he had heard the knocking from his room before anyone else.

"I got it." Charlie groaned as Adam nodded and closed his door again, a sleepy look still in his eyes. _Who would be here this late anyway?_ Charlie thought, rubbing his tired eyes as he opened the door. Linda stood in the hall, an oversized black sweatshirt covering the majority of her figure and frumpy grey sweatpants covering her legs. Her eyes were red and puffy, her neck now showing no signs of the bruising that had been inflicted on her. Charlie nearly broke when he saw her. Her eyes looked up at him, a glossy film covering them. She was broken, inside and out no matter how long had passed since the attack.

"I… I couldn't sleep and….. I don't feel safe at home…. I just need…. I need you right now…" Linda mumbled, trying to pull the sweatshirt up against her chin in a protective fashion. Charlie's heart broke as he reached out for her. He stopped a few inches from her, not knowing how she would feel about being touched. She looked to his outstretched hands before looking up in his eyes. He tried to convey that she was safe with him and he wouldn't hurt her. She seemed to understand before she stepped forward towards his arms. He began to enclose her in his arms when she flung herself to his chest and broke out in tears. He held her close as she cried, softly soothing her against him.

"It will be okay…" He mumbled, not really sure if he believed it himself or not but at least she was here in his arms, where he could protect her. "Everything will be okay..." He soothed. She let out a small sob, trying to nod her head. He gently rubbed her hair against her head and rested his cheek on the top of her forehead. They stood there for a few minutes, in the open door, just holding each other. Linda's crying subsided to a small hiccup before she relaxed against him. Charlie scooped her up in his arms and walked towards his room, kicking the front door shut as he went. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he guided them into his darkened room and gently laid her down on the bed as he had done so many nights previous before pulling the covers up over her and turning to leave the room. Linda sat up quickly,

"Charlie, please…. Don't leave…." She whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. He turned to look down at her. "You're…. You're the only one that makes me feel safe right now…." She said looking down, a little embarrassed. He nodded, motioning for her to move over. She did move over on the bed to make room for him.

"I'll stay… okay?" He asked, sitting on top of the blankets to not make her feel uncomfortable.

"Okay…" She whispered again, laying her head on his chest and almost immediately falling asleep. Charlie watched her as her breath evened out and breathing got deep. He soon felt his eyelids get heavy as well with his lack of sleep the past few weeks and he followed her into a dreamless sleep.

A small patch of sunlight entered in through the open curtain, shining unto Fulton Reed's sleeping face. He turned away from the invading light and into the beautiful blonde mane of Tammy Duncan, who was sleeping next to him. The smell of vanilla and lilacs entered his nose and he cuddled closer to her in his slumber. Tammy's eyes fluttered into alertness with the new added pressure of Fulton's arms tightening around her. She looked around the room before realizing where she was and who she was with and sighing with contentment. The sunlight peeked in at her eyes but she didn't care. Last night, Fulton and Tammy had spent hours talking about everything from pee-wee hockey to him helping her remember the last four years of her life before falling asleep in each other's arms. She still didn't have her own memories back but at least she knew now what had happened in the last four years instead of some created story her Mother told her. She sighed softly; rolling over to look upon Fulton's sleeping face. He looked content in his slumber and she hated to wake him but her Mother would no doubt be checking up on her at any moment and she did not want her to catch Fulton in her room let alone her bed. Smiling to herself Tammy gently moved further into his embrace, nuzzling her nose to his in an effort to wake him. Fulton groaned slightly, shaking his head in annoyance before continuing his dream. Tammy laughed a little, now bringing her lips to the small of his neck in a lingering kiss. This time he mumbled happily and pulled her close but continued to sleep. He must be a heavy sleeper, she laughed softly to herself as she really looked at his face. She'd been in love with him for as long as she could remember and she was almost positive that feeling went both ways when he defended her against the Hawk bully at the finals of their pee-wee hockey season. If only she'd stuck around after that she could have really found out. She had been whisked away to private school at the first sign she might have some distractions to her figure skating. Her Mother seemed to always know her better than herself. The next four years of her life had been spend locked away in a boarding school in upstate New York, her only free time found when she was skating. Her life had been a lonely existence but now that she was back home, she promised herself she would not be leaving again anytime soon. She was going to take control of her own life, damn her Mother. The first step was finally listening to her heart and being with Fulton. She smiled again; bring her hand up to Fulton's face and gently stroking his cheek with her thumb. The mild stubbles tickled her palm and smile smiled involuntarily. This time his eyes fluttered open and he looked upon her face. She was a picture of beauty with the sun shining on her face.

"Good Morning, sleepy head…" She playfully teased, flashing her bright white teeth at him. He smiled back, closing his eyes for a minute to take a deep breath of her scent. He wouldn't mind to wake up like this every morning, he thought, pulling her tighter yet against him. Tammy giggled,

"Any closer and I won't be able to breathe." She joked, wrapping her own arms around his torso. He laughed at her joke too and opened his eyes to look down at her again.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked, reaching up to touch her head. She batted his hand away,

"I'm fine. It's been a couple weeks since the accident. Stop worrying about me." She playfully smiled.

"I can't help it." He mumbled, looking down to the hand she had just interlaced with his against her chest.

"Fulton, you should get going soon…. My Mother will be up with breakfast and she would not be happy to find you here." He smiled looking to see the door remained locked from the night before.

"She won't be able to get though…" he reminded her. She nodded,

"Yes but it won't deter her for long." Tammy sighed.

"Let's get out of here then." Fulton asked; bring his other hand up to her cheek. She leaned against it for a moment, enjoying the feeling of his touch.

"No, I want to do this right. I want to show her she doesn't own me and she can't control me like she did when I was 14. I can't run away from this." Fulton nodded, kissing her forehead before getting up from the bed and looking for his shoes. Tammy sat up too and ran her hand through her tangled blonde hair. He found one under her desk and the other peeking out from under the bed and sat down to put them on. They had really started to get heavy the night before, pulling at clothes but he had stopped her, wanting their first time together to be perfect, not hiding in her room from her parents. He loved her after all. Tammy wrapped her arms around him from behind as he tied his boot lace and pulled his pant leg over the top. She kissed his neck with butterfly kisses trying to distract him from his task but he turned and kissed her full on the lips before standing from the bed again. She looked disappointed as Fulton put on his jacket and looked to the window as his means of escape.

"Come back and see me later or can I call you?" She asked hopeful. He nodded,

"Not even your Mother could keep me away. Here…" He joked, handing her a paper with his number and lifting the window pane to grab unto the tree outside.

"I love you." She quietly confessed, looking down at the paper, afraid of his rejection. She wasn't sure if they were that far along in their relationship to be saying those things. He stopped in his exit and looked back at her, waiting for her to look at him. She did after the initial awkwardness passed.

"I love you too, Tammy. Always…" He said before exiting out the window and down the tree. She smiled to herself, falling back on her bed in excitement when a knock came from her door.

"Tammy, are you awake? I made you breakfast." She groaned at her Mother's voice, before getting up to answer the door.

Julie Gaffney woke to the sponging sound of the floor being mopped in the kitchen. She wiped at her eyes before looking at the clock to see it was 9:30. She had to be at her new job at noon for training. Tossing the covers off herself and walking into the living room.

"Connie?" She questioned looking around the room only to find her, mop in hand, scrubbing at the kitchen floor. "What are you doing?" She asked, a bit of humor in her voice.

"I'm cleaning before my Grandparents get here tomorrow. I don't want them seeing the place like this." She motioned to the floor in the kitchen that was rolled linoleum. It was cracking in spots and burn holes covered the place by the stove. Julie came to stand in the doorway, looking down at the cracks.

"Cons, those aren't going to come up, their problems with the floor. Besides it's only an apartment you rent. It's not like you own the place." She seemed to chuckle. Connie leaned on the counter for a minute.

"I know, it's just… I've never done anything to make my Grandparents proud of me… I was hoping I could at least show them I can be a good Mother." Connie said with a sigh. Julie came to stand next to Connie, wrapping her arm around her in the process.

"Cons, you are a good Mother by doing what was best for your son." She reassured her before taking the mop out of her hand. "Now, let's put this stuff away and make some breakfast, okay?" she asked, beginning to clean up the mop water. Connie nodded slightly, putting the mop away in the closet and taking out some eggs from the refrigerator to cook.

"So you start the new job today?" She asked Julie before taking out the bread and popping a couple slices in the toaster.

"Yeah, at noon. You going to be okay be yourself?" She asked. Connie nodded,

"Yeah, I was going to head down to the club and see Jake. Maybe learn the books so I can get started on them today." Connie tried to cover up the grimace she got when she bent over to get the butter from the fridge but Julie noticed right away, though she didn't say anything. They finished making breakfast in silence before the door bell rang. Connie looked to Julie before she stood up to answer the door. Looking out the peep hole first to see who it was, Connie looked back at Julie questioning.

Adam Banks stood at Connie's door shuffling from foot to foot nervously. _What was he going to say? Would Connie even know where he might find Julie? Would she help him?_ Sure she'd know him longer but she was best friends with Julie. He reached to ring the bell again when the door opened only slightly revealing a very tired looking Connie Moreau.

"Hey, Connie… How's it going?" he asked before kicking himself for sounding so dumb. Connie shrugged slightly, leaning on the frame of the door.

"It's okay, What's up Banks?" She asked genuinely curious as to what he could want. He repeated her action and shrugged looking down at the chipped floor boards of the hall.

"Not much, just wondering if you'd seen Julie or knew where I might find her? I really messed up the last time we talked and I just really need to see her. She's not answering my calls and... I just really need to find her." Connie felt bad for him the way his eyes pleaded for her to help him however, the death glare she got from Julie on the other side of the door told her not to open her mouth.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen Julie in a couple weeks. She stopped down here when she left but didn't leave any numbers or anything. I don't know where she went from there." Connie tried to sound convincing but she had never been good at lying and she was pretty sure Adam knew but if he did, he didn't press the matter. He looked down, defeated and sighed.

"If you do see her, can you just tell her I love her…. And… I'll be there for her however she needs me to be…" Connie felt her eyes tear up at his confession and she almost wanted to swing the door open to unveil Julie, tears streaming down her own face, behind the door.

"I'm sure she knows Adam. Give her some time and she'll come around." Connie reassured him, kicking Julie in the shin with her hidden foot but Julie remained silent, covering her mouth with her hand in pain. Adam nodded his thanks and headed down the stairs to finish cleaning out his apartment on the West Side. Waving silently good bye before he was out of sight. Connie closed the door quickly, eyeing Julie with contempt.

"What was that for?" Julie questioned, following Connie back to the kitchen table.

"That was for breaking his heart… You know he's had it bad for you since freshmen year." Connie exclaimed. Julie looked down, touching her stomach to remind her of the reasons she was doing this.

"It had to be done. I won't saddle him with a child that's not even his. That's not fair to him. He's got his whole life ahead of him, he's got that great job and he can have any girl he wants." Julie again listed her reasons in her head of why she was doing this. If she didn't she would go insane. She wanted him just as bad as he wanted her and now that Scooter was out of the picture, there would be no one to get in between them…. But the child she was carrying. He would resent her child for not being his and it would always be a source of hurt. She wouldn't live like that and she wouldn't force him to live like that either. No, she was fine on her own. Connie saw her internal battle and let Julie kick herself for a few minutes before speaking her mind.

"Julie, I don't think it would matter to him. He'd have you and that's all he really wants. You said so yourself, he has his choice of girls and have we ever even since him with one? No! But the minute you leave Scooter, he's right there. There is no one else for him." Connie reminder her. Julie nodded slightly before getting up to clean her plate in the sink.

"He'll get over me eventually." Julie promised herself before exiting the room to get ready for work. Connie watched her go but didn't try to stop her or say anything further. She knew what it was like to want someone couldn't have and it just doesn't go away. It creates a hole in your heart. Adam would have a long road ahead of him. But she also understood Julie's point of view that she was trying to protect Adam, she'd been there too. All this mess was making her head hurt so she decided to take a nap before heading down to the club.

Belle Montgomery stood in front of her full length mirror looking over her chosen pink strapless dress. It would be cold on the water, so she had found a matching jacket in her closet to slip on when she was ready to leave. Looking down, she smoothed the fabric against her still mostly flat stomach and thought again about Dean. It wasn't fair; he just kept invading her mind. She needed to be rid of him and focus on Todd for this party today. It wasn't likely, considering she still had not confessed to Todd that she was pregnant with another man's baby. She doubted that would go over well. A knock on her door signaled her Mother had arrived to help her put her jewelry on. She quickly walked to the door and opened it only to be face to face with Dean Portman.

"How did you get in?" She asked a bit taken back by his presence. The comment came out a bit harsher than she would have liked but he deserved it, showing up here unannounced.

"Relax, the maid let me in. Your Mother's in the study having a little liquid lunch and your Father's down the hall yelling at the butler about some drapes." Dean commented, shutting the door behind him. Belle immediately looked around in embarrassment that he was in her bedroom. No man with the exception of her Father had even been allowed in her bedroom.

"Dean, you can't be in here. I'm leaving in 45 minutes for my engagement party." She tried to reason with him.

"Oh, Yeah, that's right… on the ole' yacht." He joked, sitting on her bed. She grabbed her jacket, quickly covering her exposed shoulders and pulled her light brown hair from the collar. He watched her with amusement at how flustered he could make her.

"You need to leave." Belle stated again, this time trying to take his arm and get him to stand up. He tugged back, causing her to fall against him and lay them both out on the bed. Confusion marked Belle's face as she looked down at him, her hands resting on his tight abdominal muscles. She went to push herself up when Dean grabbed her shoulders with both hands to prevent her from moving.

"What are you doing?" She asked, wiggling to get out of his grasp. He held tight, bringing his lips up to meet hers. Belle continued to resist for a moment before letting the feeling of complete bliss wash over her. She rested against him, now allowing his tongue to enter her mouth. Before she could process what was being done to her, Dean had her flipped over on the bed and was tangling his hand in her hair. She was lost now, feeling his fingertips move against her scalp as his mouth continued to assault hers. She reached up and pulled him closer. Dean's other hand found its way to her thigh and began to kneed her skin, pushing her dress up on her hip.

"Oh, Belle…." He moaned, moving his lips to her neck as her eyes finally opened to what was happening to her.

"Dean… Dean, stop. We can't…" She said, bring her hands back around to his chest to push him up. He resisted, pulling her head back towards him but she turned her face so he only got her cheek.

"Dean, we can't… Not again…" She mumbled, losing herself in the kissing she was trailing down her neck.

"Why not?" He asked huskily against her ear, kissing the shell ever so lightly.

"Dean, I mean it! Stop!" She raised her voice, pushing him hard against his chest. He finally sat up and looked down at her. Her lips were swollen and red from his kisses and she had a hickey forming at the base of her neck on the right side. Yeah, he had marked her as his, he thought, letting her get up and stand in front of him.

"Dean… What was that?" She asked, completely confused as to where this came from. A few days ago he was telling her how he wanted Ashlee and how they'd never be anything to each other. She had Todd for Pete's sake. She thought running her hand through her now tangled hair. He looked down at the floor for a moment before standing before her.

"Belle, I can't think of anything but you. It may just be the child that's growing inside of you but I want you. I can't focus on anything else." He said, trying to kiss her again. She ducked his face and moved towards her mirror, straightening out her dress and hair.

"Dean, We agreed that we would have this child together but not be together. What about Ashlee? What about Todd?" she asked, hoping a little deep down that what he was saying was true. She had been feeling the exact same way.

"I don't know what's going on with Ashlee. All I know is I thought about you everyday for the past few days. No one else." He said sitting back down on her bed, he head in his hands. She saw the bruise beginning to form and silently cursed, going to her makeup to get her concealer.

"Dean, I'm getting married. I can't be doing this. I…" She trailed off, not knowing what to say anymore. He sighed too, standing to wrap his arms around her from behind. He silently placed his hands on her abdomen and took a deep breath of her scent.

"This is still my kid… No matter what you do, we'll always have this bond. I just came here to apologize for kissing you the other night but I guess I just did it again." He mumbled, letting go over her and moving towards the door. She went to say something back to him but he had already left her room. She huffed to herself sitting down on her bed and trying to figure out what just happened. _Was Dean Portman falling for her?_ Before she could process this further, her Mother walked in the door, stumbling towards the jewelry case to pick out something to go with Belle's outfit.


	17. Chapter 17

The morning was quiet, no noise could be heard throughout the apartment. A rarity in itself, if it would have been a normal day on the third floor. It was Sunday, Charlie thought slowly opening his eyes to the bright sun pouring in his windows. Linda still lay against him, her head resting on his chest. Charlie couldn't explain what it was about her that he loved so much. She wasn't abnormally beautiful or ridiculously smart. She was just perfect to him. He remembered meeting her for the first time at Eden Hall and being instantly attracted to her witty charm. He could have never imagined that the events leading to her being here with him could have occurred.

Looking down at her face, he saw the dried tear streaks still marking her pink cheeks. He felt his heart break all over again. He still loved her, no matter how much he'd tried to deny it over the years. No matter how many times he'd been with another woman to forget what it felt like to be with her. He felt instantly horrible for thinking about anything remotely sexual having to do with Linda. He normally wouldn't admit how he was feeling right now but he was completely at a loss of how to handle this situation. No amount of leadership skills could have prepared him for this.

Linda stirred slightly against him before letting out the worse sound in the world. It was crossed between a scream and a wail for someone to "stop." Charlie immediately took her shoulders in his hands, trying to wake her up. This was the wrong move, he thought as she began to kick and swing her arms at him. He let go, her eyes snapping open in confusion before looking around nervously. Charlie was now standing next to the bed to give her the space she would need. He tried not show how angry he was. Not at her but at the man that had done this to her. Linda looked confusingly around the room before seeing Charlie a few inches away, his back to her.

"Ch..Charlie?" She questioned, reaching her hand out to him. He turned at the sound of the voice and took her hand before sitting down opposite of her on the bed. He sighed with relief, closing his eyes and taking deep breathes.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Charlie asked, rubbing circles into the back of her hand in a calming fashion. She seemed to nod, moving closer to him and sitting in his lap before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I… I can't get his eyes out of my head. Every time I close mine I see them. Their cold, angry and dark. I… I feel like there was no remorse… I screamed… I fought but he was too strong." She held unto his shoulder, burying her face into his t-shirt. Charlie patted her back slowly, afraid of her reaction but she held him tighter.

"I'm here…" He assured her. "No one's going to hurt you again." He promised, her tears beginning to fall against his shoulder. "You don't have to go through this alone… I'm here for you… No matter what." Charlie reassured her. She nodded in understanding, pulling him closer as his arms enveloped her to him.

"I… I don't know what to do…" She sobbed against him. He soothed her against him. She was so broken, this was not the Linda he knew. An event like this could change someone forever.

"Look at me?" He asked gently. She slowly raised her head to look at him. Her tears were still wet against her eyes and her blue eyes were blood shot from crying. Charlie hesitantly reached up and wiped a stray tear from her check.

"I'll always be here and I won't let you go until you ask me to. I know you'll get through this. You're too strong to let this break you." Charlie reassured her. She nodded only slightly,

"You hear me, Linda. You will get through this…" He assured her before taking her back to his shoulder to let her tears fall freely. A knock on the front door let him know that someone was here. He'd let one of the other roommates get it. He was busy right now. A knock on his bedroom door followed and he wondered who could be here for him.

"Yeah?" He asked. Guy's voice wounded through the door.

"Ummm…. Is Linda here?" He asked hesitantly. Linda immediately looked up at Charlie. Moving her from his lap, Charlie stood and walked to the door.

"Yeah, what's up?" Charlie asked once he'd opened the door. Guy looked sort of nervous before he looked towards the front door. Charlie looked too, taking a step out into the hall. Tyler Larkin stood in their hall, taking an interested look around the living room before removing his leather gloves. He always seemed to ear those. Charlie cleared his throat, closing his bedroom door slightly before walking towards their guest.

"Charlie Conway?" Tyler asked, a small smile seemed to play on his lips before he extended his hand to Charlie. It wasn't a friendly smile but a mocking smile as Charlie approached. He was a bit leery on this man but put his hand out to shake. It seemed like Tyler was sizing him up but Charlie pulled his hand back and crossed them over his chest in an intimidating fashion.

"What can I help you with?" Charlie asked, a bit defensive. Tyler seemed to chuckle slightly looking down to the chipped hardwood floor with distain.

"For starters you can tell me where my fiancé is?" Tyler seemed to become a bit agitated with Charlie's tone. Charlie shrugged.

"I'm sure if she wanted you to know you would…" Charlie challenged. The door behind them opened slightly and Linda looked out on the two men in her life. Tyler seemed to be distracted but calmed when he saw Linda.

"Sweetheart, you scared me…" Tyler seemed to sigh and walked down the hall to Linda. She cringed when he took her in his arms and quickly pulled away. Charlie noticed this and wanted to step in but Guy stopped him, shaking his head. Linda pulled back first.

"I'm sorry, I didn't leave a note or something. I couldn't sleep last night and I… I came here…" Tyler seemed to nod.

"Charlie… he found me… I don't know… I just feel safe here." Linda tried to explain. Tyler nodded only slightly before picking up her coat from just inside the bedroom door and wrapping it around Linda.

"It's okay… I'm here now and we can go home." Tyler didn't seem to care what made Linda feel better; he was determined to get her out of the apartment.

"I…" Linda started to protest before Tyler wrapped his arm around her and began walking towards the door. Charlie stepped in their way.

"I don't think Linda wants to go home." Charlie said standing in front of them. Guy stood by, ready to back up Charlie if he had to. Tyler's eyes narrowed,

"I hardly think you know what Linda wants." Tyler challenged, going to step around Charlie. Charlie stepped in his way again before Linda stepped in.

"Charlie…he's my fiancé." She reminded him, not really telling him that he was wrong but allowing Tyler to lead her to the door. He opened the door for her and she took one look back at Charlie before going out the door. Tyler looked back at Charlie with a threatening look before exiting himself and shutting the door behind them.

"I hate that guy…" Charlie grumbled, turning to Guy and now Averman who was standing at the end of the hall. Both of them nodded in understanding before Averman returned to his room and Guy walked into the kitchen. Charlie slammed his fist into the wall before storming off into his room to let his anger out in peace, he knew there was something wrong with that guy from the moment he met him.

Guy watched him go before returning to his cereal. It was an odd morning, he thought, thinking about how Fulton hadn't been home all night and Dean was up and left extremely early that morning. Everyone seemed to be going in their own direction lately. He didn't really have time to think about it as he had to be at work in about a couple hours. There were repercussions for having both Friday and Saturday off, he now had to work Sunday. It really had been a waste, the past two days. He'd drank most of Friday night and again the night before so what had he accomplished, he hadn't even gone to the Laundromat. Finishing the last of his coco puffs, he went to his room and collected a few articles of clothing before shoving them in a cloth sack and tossing it over his shoulder to head out.

"Guys, I'm leaving. Be back later…" Guy called out, grabbing his keys off the stand by the door and opening it. Fulton was just coming up the stairs whistling when Guy was closing the door. Instead he pushed it back open to let Fulton inside.

"Thank you, sir." Fulton smiled passing Guy who looked at him weird.

"Where were you last night?" Guy wondered at Fulton's joyful mood.

"With Tammy." Fulton stated before closing the door behind him. Guy shrugged, it wasn't his business anyway, he thought, throwing the sack back over his shoulder and heading down the stairs. He was on the second landing when Connie's door opened a few feet away and Julie headed out, looking to be in a hurry.

"Hey, that's where you went…" Guy chuckled, watching Julie hop slightly to get her sneaker on her left foot. Julie smiled back,

"Yeah, just don't tell Adam. He's kind of stalking me right now." Julie joked. She looked to the sack he was carrying and smiled again,

"Going down to the homeless shelter to be Santa?" She joked. Guy smiled,

"No, laundry day." He corrected, walking with her down the stairs.

"Julie!" Connie yelled following her out into the hall, "You forgot your…." She trailed off when she saw Guy before clearing her throat,

"You forgot your purse." She finished, tossing the small bag to Julie before returning to her door. Guy thought about stopping her but didn't know what he would say to her. The silence was awkward as Connie stopped in her door way and looked back at Guy. She looked as if she wanted to say something but thought better of it and returned to the apartment. Guy let her go but not before Julie noticed his eyes follow Connie and sighed.

"She loves you, you know." Julie stated, starting to walk down the stairs again. Guy was pulled from his thoughts and followed her again.

"Sometimes love just isn't enough." Guy thought out loud. Julie laughed to herself.

"Guy, you know Connie and you were meant to be together since you were like 12." She laughed. Guy shook his head negatively.

"No, we grew up. How is she though?" Guy asked as an after thought. Julie shrugged as they got to the front door of the building.

"She's strong." Was all she said before heading in the opposite direction of Guy. Guy nodded before heading in his own direction.

Tammy Duncan sat on her bed watching an old episode of "The OC" one of her favorite shows that she couldn't remember watching. She sighed deeply, cuddling into her pillows that still smelled of him. A knock on her door made her pause the DVD and look to who was coming in her room. Tommy Duncan stood in her doorway, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against her door frame.

"So how you feeling?" He asked. Tammy groaned,

"Everyone needs to stop asking me that" she said as she un-paused the television and continued to watch the show. Tommy glanced at the television,

"You know Marissa dies, right? She was hot." Tammy paused the DVD again and looked at her brother with hatred.

"No, I didn't know that considering I can't remember the last four years!" She screamed, throwing a pillow at him.

"Easy tiger!" He yelled seeking cover behind the door. "What's got you all riled up?" He asked, taking a seat in her desk chair. Tammy leaned back and watched the sun send rays across her ceiling.

"I don't want this life, Tommy. I don't think I ever have…" Tammy looked over to Tommy in her chair,

"I think it was Mom's dream, not mine." She laughed to herself a little, "Do you remember when she had us skating pairs… all those ridiculous outfits she made you wear." She laughed again. Tommy did not find it funny as he crossed his arms again in a huff. Tammy stopped laughing and looked to her little brother.

"The only time I was ever truly happy was when we were part of the Ducks… I felt like I had a family then." She whispered. Tommy nodded with agreement,

"I know what you mean. Sometimes, I wish they'd just get a divorce. It'd be better that them staying apart all the time and then fighting when they get in the same room." Tommy nodded. Tammy agreed.

"I'd want to stay with Dad though." Tammy confided. "Mom tries to control my life."

"Like with Fulton?" Tommy asked. Tammy nodded,

"I don't care what she thinks; I'm going to be with him." Tammy assured herself. Tommy laughed little,

"I can't wait to see you tell Mom that." Tommy laughed. At that exact moment their Mother appeared in the doorway.

"Tell Mom what?" She asked in her super sweet voice. Tommy's face went stone as Tammy prepared to take on her Mother. Their mother looked to them expectantly before Tammy rose from the bed.

"Mom, I don't want to skate anymore." She said firmly with a nod of her head. A look of anger crossed her Mother's face before it softened. Tommy stood quickly and exited the room to get out of dodge before their Mother exploded.

"Tammy, I know you're scared after your accident but don't let that deter you from getting back on the ice." She tried to convince her. Tammy stood her head,

"No, Mom it's not that! I don't want this anymore. I want to be normal and have a normal life. I want to be able to hang out with my friends when I want and go out on dates and eat what I want. This accident has made me realize just how much I've been missing." Tammy's Mother's face was turning red by the time she'd explained her reasoning. Tammy backed up slightly afraid of her Mother's reaction but stopped, realizing that's what her mother wanted was for her to break. So she stood up straight and squared her shoulders.

"You are anything but normal, Tammy Duncan. You are an Olympic gold medalist. You need to start acting like it." Her Mother ranted. Tammy shook her head.

"No, I need to start living my life. The last few years of it that I can remember were filled with hotels, competitions and boarding schools. I don't want that life. I want to be home, with Dad and Tommy! I want to be with my friends." She returned, standing her ground. Her Mother seemed to not care what she was saying.

"If you do not do as I say, you will be out in the cold!" She threatened. Tammy laughed slightly,

"You don't think I have anywhere to go?" She asked in surprise. Her mother seemed to recoil.

"No, that's what you would like. To move in with that… that… boy!" She exclaimed. Tammy smiled to herself, having gotten under her mother's skin.

"His name is Fulton." Tammy corrected her, "And I'm 25 years old, I think I know what I want." She told her.

"You can't even remember you're 25, how can you make any decisions right now?"

"I know what I feel and I love Fulton. Nothing you say or do is going to change that." Tammy nearly yelled. Her Mother not knowing where to go from there with the argument walked to the door.

"You're grounded, young lady! You will not see Fulton again, you hear me!" She yelled before slamming the door behind her. Tammy laughed slightly,

"You can't ground me! It's not like I haven't been in this room the past week!" She challenged, huffing out a breath before softly laughing to herself. It felt good to finally stand up to her Mother. Fulton would be proud. Fulton, she thought quickly picking up her cell phone and the paper with his number on it.

Fulton lay in his bed, an arm behind his head and the other resting on his stomach, listening to Metallica on his stereo. The smile still had not left his face as he thought about Tammy. _Was she his girlfriend? She had said she loved him but did that mean they were together?_ He was interrupted from his thoughts by his cell phone going off on his night stand. He rolled over and looked at the caller id but it was a restricted number so he picked it up.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Her voice asked from the other end. He smiled,

"Thinking about you actually…" He mused. She laughed lightly on the other end as he rolled back on his back to look to the ceiling again. He hit the off button on his stereo before resting back against his pillow.

"Nothing naughty, I hope…" She flirted a little. He smiled to himself.

"I would never…" He laughed, a few images popping into his head at the thought. He quickly dismissed them and thought of her beautiful face, probably smiling at his comment.

"So, I'm "grounded"." She laughed. "I can't believe she thinks she can ground me!" Tammy huffed.

"What'd you do?" Fulton asked playfully.

"Told her I wasn't going to skate anymore and there's nothing she could do about it. I also told her I loved you." She added softly on the end. Fulton's face became serious. Swallowing the lump in his throat he asked,

"So, we probably won't be seeing each other for a while then?" He frowned. Tammy seemed to laugh,

"Of course not, silly. She can't ground me. In fact, why don't you pick me up and we'll go do something normal?" She asked. Fulton's smiled returned at this.

"Yeah, about 6 okay?" He asked.

"Perfect. I'll climb out my window if I have to." She chuckled. He laughed too.

"I love you, Tammy Duncan." He said softly, listening to her breath on the other end.

"I love you, too. I'll be waiting for tonight." A smile playing on her lips as she walked around her bed, playing with the canopy for no other reason than she was nervous.

"I'll see you then." He said before hanging up and looking up at his ceiling again. He couldn't wait.

Dean Portman surveyed the yacht docked just off the port, waiting for the party guests to board. He could make out Belle's pink dress in the crowd as she was wrapped up in who he could only assume was her fiance's arms. She did look happy, he thought suddenly feeling bad for following her here. He didn't know what had gotten into him lately but his sudden obsession with this girl was even scaring him. His phone vibrated against his stomach from his jacket pocket again and he pulled it out looking at the caller id to see it was Ashlee for the millionth time that day. It was fairly obvious he was now avoiding her but maybe it was for the best. He hadn't heard from her in days anyway. He quickly pocketed his phone again and quickly made his way towards the boarding ramp, _hopefully they weren't checking invitations_, he thought, tucking his hands in his pockets against the wind. _What kind of idiot goes for a boat ride this time of year anyway, it wasn't even May yet_, he thought, quickly following the guests onboard before the yacht set sail.

A sudden frantic knocking on the door pulled both Charlie and Averman to the front door. Seeing the state in which Charlie was in, Averman assured him he had it and walked towards the door, a nervousness of who could be here. His eyes just about popped out of his head when he opened the door. Ashlee Banks stood in the doorway, eyes glistening with tears and phone clutched in her hand.

"Where is he?" She seemed to growl out from behind her teeth. Averman was at a loss for words. He tried to joke, as always when he was nervous.

"Well, that depends on which him you're referring to…" He tried to laugh as she stormed past him into the hall. "Well, just come in…" He said softly before shutting the door behind her.

"You know who I'm talking about! Dean, where is he?" She asked, immediately looking around. When she didn't see him in the living room she rushed to his door and tried the handle. Surprisingly it opened and she was met with an empty bedroom. The sight seemed to make her more angry then before because she charged into the room like a bull in a china shop and began throwing things around. She started with ripping the sheets off his bed then opening his night stand drawer and dumping it all over the floor. She even ripped down his metallic poster before Averman grabbed her around the arms from behind and pulled her to him.

"Whow, what has gotten into you?" He asked, as she tried to pull away from him and continue her destruction of his room but her body began to sag and she was soon crying like a baby, curled over towards the floor. The only thing holding her up was Averman's arms.

"Shh, it's okay…" Averman tried to assure her. Fulton had heard the noise and come to investigate when he saw the pair standing in the middle of Portman's room.

"Man, Portman's going to be pissed…" He laughed, looking around. For once Averman didn't have a joke, instead he was trying to hold up the girl in his arms. She turned slightly into his arm and sank to the floor, his arms still around her. Averman let her cry as he rocked her slightly against his chest whispering caring words to her.

"What happened, Ash?" He questioned softly. She seemed to stiffen and looked up at him,

"I've been trying to call him all day and he's been ignoring my calls and this all seemed to start when this girl Belle. I thought she sounded familiar so I asked around at school and my friend Miranda said she saw Dean and Belle hooking up at a dorm party a few months ago." She seemed to break out into tears again. "He cheated on me!" She sobbed into his shoulder. Averman wasn't surprised as he already knew the whole situation with Belle and Dean but if he told Ashlee he had know and not said anything, she would hate him too. It was bad enough, Dean would likely blame him. If for nothing else then the destruction of his room.

"Aren't I good enough? Aren't I pretty enough?" Ashlee sobbed, continuing to allow Averman to rock her in his arms.

"You're beautiful. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Averman whispered trying to make her feel better. Ashlee seemed to calm at this and looked up at his face. Their eyes met and her face turned into a look of confusion then astonishment.

"Averman, I…" Her words were cut off by the opening of the front door.

"I'm home!" Adam Banks' voice called out into the hall. The open door allowed him to see the sight before him into Dean's room.

"Oh my god, Ashlee. What happened?" He asked, pulling his baby sister out of Averman's arms and into his own. Ashlee shook her head slightly, looking down in defeat.

"It's over. Dean and I are through." She whispered quietly. Adam pulled her against him, dropping the paper he's had tucked under his arm to the floor. Ashlee's eyes scanned the fallen paper as she tried not to cry only to realize she was staring at the face of the woman she hated most in the world right now. Belle Montgomery, Fiancé to the son of the Mayor was announcing their engagement today on the waterfront yacht club's docks. Her eyes dried quickly as she thought of what she would do. Slowly pulling away from her brother, she reassured him she was fine.

"Something just came up and I have to go. I'll call you later." She assured him.

"Do you need me to take you somewhere?" He called after her.

"No, I'll be fine. I'll be more than fine." She whispered exiting the apartment.


	18. Chapter 18

The sun was setting as the Mayor's yacht sailed peacefully back into the docks. Belle Montgomery rested her head on the shoulder of her soon to be husband and sighed with contentment. At least the party was over now. At least she could go back to her small apartment bedroom and pretend everything was okay again for the night. Her life would never be alright again but maybe she could pretend for a little while longer. Her Mother's loud slurred words echoes with a laugh somewhere on the other side of the deck but it didn't matter right now, all that mattered was that today hadn't been as bad as she thought it would be. Dean's impromptu kiss had not ruined her day. Pulling into the docks, she saw the reporters must have gotten wind of their little party and had staged a bit of a crowd to hear their announcement. Todd looked down at her with a smile,

"I guess it's time to announce the engagement to the world?" He questioned playfully. Belle smiled back,

"Let all those other girls know you're taken?" She smiled back. He leaned down and gently placed his lips against her in a chaste kiss. Todd had never been one to make out. She smiled as he pulled away but unwanted thoughts filtered into her head, like how much better a kiss had felt coming from Dean Portman. The fire and passion wasn't there with Todd, she couldn't remember a time when that had been any. She tried to clear her head of these thoughts but a glance behind her caught her breath in her throat. Dean stood a few feet away, a glass of champagne in his hand and his other gripping the railing he was standing at. His face showed one of anger and she quickly turned away. _Why was he here? He hadn't interrupted anything, so why bother to show up? _

"Are you ready?" Todd asked, bring her attention back to him as he slid his arm around her waist and began to lead her towards their parents and towards the awaiting cameras. She nodded slightly, trying to compose herself for the flashing lights she knew would come.

Dean dumped his half full glass over the side of the boat and left the glass there for someone else to clean up before following a few feet behind them. He knew she knew he was there. He wasn't sure why he'd come either but the kiss that looked as if it was something he'd give his sister had ignited a flame in his blood. He had no rights to her, he knew this but somehow he felt like he did. Like he needed her to survive.

Belle looked back again to see Dean following them off the boat and braced for the storm that was about to begin. The minute her and Todd had stepped off the ramp back unto dry land, the cameras had started flashing.

"Mr. Winchester? Are the rumors true? Are you and Ms. Montgomery officially engaged?" One report asked, sticking his microphone in their faces. Belle turned away, an evident blush creeping up unto her face. Todd smiled and chuckled his usual on TV self and nodded firmly,

"Yes, This amazing girl has agreed to be my wife..." He smiled down at her. She tried to smile back but she had never been good with public appearances and media. She seemed to nod in affirmation before the crowd started buzzing with more questions that Todd and his Father tried to answer. Her Father had quickly joined them in a show of political unity. The noise began to drowned out to Belle as she searched the crowd for Dean Portman only to find him in a yelling match about 20 feet away with a very beautiful blonde. She tried not to look, as it was none of her business but she wondered who the girl was. Todd called her attention back to the reporters who began to ask her about her wedding planning. Her mouth opened to answer when a loud voice took over the crowd.

"I think I have some information you all are going to want to hear..." The girl that had been fighting with Dean now stood a few feet away for her, her arms crossed over her chest and a look a hatred fueling her clear blue eyes. Belle had no idea who this girl was or what she could want but looked her way the same as everyone else. Dean had come up behind her and began whispering heated words in her ear and tried to pull her away from the reporters but it seemed she had already gotten the crowd's attention.

"Ashlee, I mean it! Let's go!" He whispered loudly to her and Belle's breathe caught in her throat_. The girlfriend. The one she talked to on the phone. How could she be so stupid to leave a message with her?_ Belle's eyes went down to the ground.

"No, Dean. Todd deserves to know what he's marrying. Just like I deserved to know what I was dating." She hissed. This got the media going into a frenzy, a loud buss of excitement going through the air.

"What's going on?" Todd whispered in her ear but she was paralyzed with fear and couldn't even make up a lie now. Belle's Mother seemed to be finding the whole thing funny as she hiccupped off to the side and commented about how that was Belle's lab partner from school that she' d met the other day.

"I'm sorry to do this here but I think Todd deserves the right to know that his fiancé hasn't been truthful with him." Ashlee's voice showed signs of tears but she continued on, even with Dean trying to cover her mouth. A reporter stepped in and backed Dean up, citing the right to freedom of speech. Dean laughed and tried to go around but Ashlee was already speaking.

"You see, Todd. Your Fiancé and my ex-boyfriend here hooked up at a party a few months ago and from what I can tell, they haven't stopped seeing each other since." The crowd let out an audible gasp and the reporters started asking questions. Belle's eyes finally lifted to Ashlee's and they were filled with hate and anger. _How could she do this to another person. Wasn't it bad enough Dean had ruined her life, nowhis girlfriend wanted to do the same? _Ashlee's eyes mirrored her own and before anyone could have seen it coming they were at each other, arms flying. Who took the first punch was up for debate but Belle grabbed a good chuck of hair and began to pull as hard as she could while Ashlee went for the body, wrapping herself around Belle to bring her to the ground. The two continued to fight and pull at each other's clothes even after Todd and Dean had stepped in and tried to pull them apart.

"You Bitch!" Belle roared, scratching at Ashlee's perfect face. "You have no idea what you're talking about!" She yelled. Ashlee tugged Belle's head to the side and they both stumbled to the ground by the dock's edge.

"Ashlee, stop!" Dean yelled over the loud crowd but his yells were ignored. Ashlee rose to her feet first waiting for Belle to get up, she had her lined up perfectly to knock her right into the water with a well delivered spear to abdomen. Belle was getting to her feet when she saw Ashlee begin to lunge at her. Her arms went around her stomach in a protective fashion but the blow never came, she looked up to see Dean holding the screaming Ashlee around the waist and yelling at her.

"What are you thinking? This is not how you act! You're a Banks!" He repeated over and over again. She yelled out in frustration for him to let her go.

"You're a whore!" She yelled in Belle's direction as the tears began to stream down her face. Todd had made it to Belle's side to help her up. "He doesn't love you! He can't love anyone! He's incapable of it!" Ashlee yelled, kicking in Dean's arms. "You're just another slut he used to get what he wanted and he'll get tired of you too!" She continued to go on and on until Belle couldn't take the venom spewing from Ashlee's mouth anymore.

"Shut up!" She yelled in frustration, feeling the anger boil up inside of her. She was about to let Ashlee have it for being such a bitch when a sharp pain enveloped her body and she grabbed her stomach in pain. Her knees gave out but before she could fall, Dean caught her and pulled her against him. Ashlee was sitting a few feet away, obviously having been thrown to the ground in Dean's rush to get to her.

"Belle, what's wrong?" He asked frantically. She couldn't speak just gasp out breathes of pain. Todd tried to step in but Dean pushed him back, grabbing Belle's face to look up at him. She finally managed to get out two words that would seal her fate but she had to say them.

"Dean, the baby..." She cried before everything went dark and she collapsed in his arms. The crowd gasped, Todd looking as confused as ever. Dean didn't think, he simply stood, scooping her up in his arms and ran for his car. He needed to get her to the hospital as fast as possible.

Ashlee, still sitting on the ground, covered her mouth with her hands and let out a sob. The crowd seemed confused but began to walk towards Todd, who pushed his way through the crowd for his own car to follow Dean.

Connie sat at the window, a sweater wrapped tightly around her overly boney shoulders. The radio was playing softly from the kitchen. It was a welcome invasion to the silence she had been use to, she'd have to thank Julie later for bringing it. The country station was tuned it, she wasn't a particular fan of country but something to fill the air was what she had been seeking. Plus she didn't have the energy to get up and change it. The disappointed look in Guy's eyes when she had seen him on the stairs earlier were still in her mind. It didn't seem like so long ago that Guy and her had been inseparable. Their PDA had made the other Ducks uncomfortable on more than one occasion. There was a point when they couldn't keep their hands off each other and now he looked at her like she had a disease. Oh, that's right, she does, she thought to herself, tightening the sweater around herself. How could she be so stupid? Sure, she thought her life with Guy was over but she should have been thinking about their son. The son she could likely leave Motherless very shortly for her stupid actions. She tried to calm herself by thinking about all the times she spent with Guy. He had been her only true love. he had been her first everything and her only for so long. Now she had been spoiled by another's touch. She had thought she loved Mark but really she was dependent on Mark. Now she was becoming dependent on Jake. He would not get into a relationship with Jake, that was for sure. The one thing she had made up her mind about was that she needed to tell Guy about Robbie. He would need him after she was gone, she thought bitterly. She hated having to make these decisions but she had to face that they needed to be made. She hated knowing she probably wouldn't live to see Robbie grown into a man but at least Guy would. Her chest hurt at her own thoughts but she had to do what was best for Robbie and Guy. She'd already taken away too much time from Guy as it was. He deserved to know his son. He deserved to be there for all of Robbie's firsts. She thought back silently to the phone call he'd received the night Robbie took his first steps and how happy she'd been but really she was dying on the inside. She'd missed so many important things already she couldn't think about missing anymore. Before she could get too wrapped up in more thoughts of regret she decided to head to the club and start learning the books. At least it would take her mind off everything else for a while. Shutting the radio off, she slowly picked up her keys from the counter and opened the door to leave. She didn't want to run into any of the guys today, so she flipped the hood of her sweater up over her head and took one last look into the apartment before flipping off the lights and shutting the door.

The sun was just being to go down when Fulton pulled up in front of the Duncan residence. He wasn't quite sure how to go about letting Tammy know he was here but before he could pick up his cell to call her the tree outside her window began to rustle with added weight. Fulton almost had to laugh as Tammy's shoes hit the ground first just outside the front fence. She must of tossed them there from up top. A few more shakes of the tree and Tammy appeared from the lowest branch in an informal short dress, that was a cream color and had a Duck green ribbon tied around the waist. Her face was one of contemplation as she tried to decide the best way down from her 8 ft high spot. Fulton's heart sped up in his chest after the last time he'd seen her fall so he quickly got out of his truck and rushed to the fence line.

"Let me help you?" He asked nervously, extending his hand up to her. She shushed him with a finger to her lips to keep quiet from her Mother and gingerly made her way closer to him, a smile playing on her face.

"No looking up my dress, Mr. Reed." She joked, tucking the extra fabric between her tights as she prepared to climb down the last set of branches. Fulton blushed slightly at her flirtatious comment and again extended his arms to catch her as she descended. She jumped right into them from the last branch, allowing him to bring her to the ground gently. He kept her in a bridal style hold for a moment longer to look at her. She had done her make-up a blend of neutrals, leaving her looking much like herself, he liked that, and her hair was down, pulled back by a matching green head band that reminded him of her younger days when he first fell in love with her. he used to have a matching head band for every outfit during pee-wees or else she'd have that red and black cap she looked so much.

"Hi..." She smiled softly, gazing up at him before touching his cheek. He smiled back, leaning forward to kiss her gently. She pressed her lips to his with enthusiasm before pulling back so he could let her down.

"Hi..." He repeated softly, taking her hand to lead her to the car. She picked up her cream colored heels on the way and hopped into the passenger's seat with them in her lap.

"You washed the truck?" She asked as he slid into the driver's side. He nodded slightly before she looked down at his clothes. "And you dressed up? Where are we going?" She asked, a hint of laughter in her voice. Fulton started the car again and pulled out from the curb.

"You'll see..." He said keeping his eyes on the road. Tammy's exposed legs next to him were distracting to say the least and he didn't want to get into an accident. Completely obvious to her effect on him, Tammy reached down and slid her shoes on each of her feet with ease, raising her leg slightly to secure her heeled shoe over the back of her foot. Her normal Vanilla and Lilacs scent was beginning to linger into Fulton's nose and he stepped on the gas to go a little faster to get them to the restaurant before he pulled over and started to kiss her. _What was this sudden urge to maul her coming from?_ He thought quietly, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. Tammy noticed this and the fact that he had gotten silent all of a sudden and began to lean over in her seat towards him. She liked that he was so distracted by her.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly, kissing just below his ear with feather light kisses_. Fulton was going to die. Tammy Duncan was going to be the death of him_, he thought, trying to focus on anything but what she was doing to his neck. He cleared his throat, trying to act like a gentlemen and raised his hand to back her up off him. She sat back only slightly to look into his face.

"I'm fine. Just a little uncomfortable in this shirt but I'll be fine." He lied, tugging on the collar of his dress shirt for the millionth time that night and running his hand through his hair in a nervous fashion. Tammy watched him curiously from the passenger's seat, trying to figure out what he could be thinking. Ever since their playful banter early today about dirty thoughts, Tammy had been consumed with some of her own. She wanted Fulton Reed that was for sure but seeing how she couldn't remember the last four years of her life, she wasn't sure if she was ready to take things there. Watching his fingers tighten back on the steering wheel, she suddenly wanted them on her, touching her and making her cry his name. _She was completely loony_, she thought, trying to stare out her own window but coming back to her own thoughts of running her own fingers though his hair. She wondered what it would feel like. His had had always been long and wavy. She imagined running her figures down his scalp and holding him close to her as he kissed her neck. _She couldn't take it anymore_, she thought.

"Fulton?" She asked turning to him. He seemed to be concentrating on the road too much but nodded his head in her direction. "Fulton... Can we skip dinner and go back your apartment?" She asked before he seemed to have a convulsion and quickly pull off to the side of the road. Tammy was shocked by his sudden braking and lunged forward in her seat, nearly hitting her head again against the windshield.

"Fulton, are you trying to kill me? I've already had one too many near death experiences these past few weeks..." She mumbled before he grabbed her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was anything but what they'd shared in the past. This kiss was fire and ice mixed together and tongues dueling for dominance. Tammy couldn't breathe and it was the most wonderful thing in the world. She'd never felt so free. The seat belt seems to keep their arms from being able to get around each other, so Tammy finally took hers off and climbed unto Fulton's lap. The steering wheel dug into her lower back but she didn't care, reaching down to tug Fulton's seat back. Fulton's fingers were finally touching her. One was running down her left arm, the other tangled into her hair.

"Fulton..." She whispered, his mouth trailing down the side of her neck to her collar bone. Yes, she definitely wanted this, she thought a bit of excitement beginning to form in her chest. This is what she'd been dreaming about.

"Oh, Tammy... I want you... You've got to know that I've wanted you forever." He whispered back, kissing back up her neck. He felt his need to take her right then and there increase by tenfold when she whimpered into his hair. She nodded as best she could,

"I know. I want you too." She confessed, taking his bottom lip in between her lips and moving it between her teeth. The hand that had been trailing down her arm now found its way to her thigh and began to move higher under her skirt when she grabbed it suddenly and stopped kissing him, he looked up at her in fear that he'd gone too far.

"Fulton, I..." Her face was flushed but it didn't hide her embarrassment in trying to tell him this. "Fulton, I... I know I can't remember the last four years of my life but I've... I'm..." She was trying to figure out the best way to say this without sounding like a complete loser. Fulton could sense she was nervous about something and placed his hand on her cheek to force her to look at him.

"Tammy, you can tell me anything..." He reassured before kissing her lightly on the lips. She kissed him a couple more times, all chaste kisses before backing up and looking at him again, a new found confidence.

"Fulton, I'm pretty sure I've never done this before." She whispered. He looked at her face as her looked down to avoid his gazed in embarrassment.

"So you're a..." He began but she cut him off, wanting to say the word herself.

"A virgin, yes..." She seemed to be hiding her blush behind her flushed cheeks, her hand raising to her face to feel her already red cheeks. Fulton couldn't help but smile slightly before lifting her chin to look back at him.

"Tammy, you have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that." He whispered, "I'm honored that you would want me to be the first." Tammy seemed to nod slightly before looking back at him,

"But I won't be your first, will I?" She asked, slightly nervous with this conversation but she knew that had to have it. Fulton sighed deeply, running his hand again through his hair, this time in frustration.

"No, you won't be." He confessed, looking anywhere but at her. He was mentally kicking himself that he should have waited for her too. He knew he loved her. Tammy could see his internal battle on his face and rubbed a reassuring hand across his cheek.

"It's okay. It would be stupid of me to expect you to be. I'm okay with it. I was gone for so long... " She assured him. He stopped berating himself and looked back at her.

"Tammy, you're too special to me to have your first time be in the back seat of my truck, or for that matter in my crappy apartment bedroom... Let's wait for everything to be right. Let's wait for the right moment." He assured her. Tammy's eyes seemed to tear a little and she kissed him softly, allowing their lips to touch gently against each other.

"I don't need special. I don't need candles and flowers. I just want you, Fulton Reed. All of you." She whispered back before kissing him again. "Let's go back to your place. We'll pick up some dinner on the way and we'll see what happens, okay?" She asked looking into his eyes. He nodded.

"Okay, but no expectations. I'm not going to take advantage of you." He seemed to tease before she punched him slightly in the shoulder and climbed back into her own seat.

"The only one getting take advantage of tonight will be you." Tammy teased back, reaching for the seat belt.

"I love you, Tammy." He whispered kissing her hand as she used the other to buckle in.

"I love you too, Fulton." She whispered back, touching his face before he pulled off the side of the road and back into traffic, turning back the way they'd come.


	19. Chapter 19

It was getting dark on the street, Adam Banks thought, looking up at the setting sun in the distance. It had been a rough day, packing up his apartment, looking for a job and not hearing from Julie, even though he'd left her like 10 messages. His heart felt broken in his chest but that was a usual feeling for him lately. Since freshmen year, when he first had to watch Julie go out on her first date with Scooter, his heart had been breaking slowly. To almost have her and then lose her again, he heart had shattered. He'd always felt a piece of his heart missing from that first moment. He was too stupid to tell her how he felt. Now, it might of been too late but at least she knew. Let her do what she would with it. A heavy sigh escaped his lips before he came upon the coffee shop where he had first taken Julie just a few days before. The lights were still on and the open sign lit up so he decided to stop in for a cup of something warm before he headed back to the apartment. Maybe clear his head and think straight as to what his next move would be.

The door bell jingled as he entered the small shop to find it mostly vacant. There was one old man in the corner who looked up at him as he entered but quickly returned to his coffee after he saw it wasn't anyone he knew. Adam slowly took off his leather gloves and approached the counter, looking over to the table that Julie and he had sat when they had been here. It was empty but he could picture the two of them sitting at it just weeks before. Everything was about her now. Every breath, every thought. He needed to get over her but he didn't want to, he wanted her. No matter what he would always want her. Stepping up to the counter, there didn't seem to be anyone around so he ran the small bell on the counter top and heard and "Be one minute" from the back room. It had sounded like Julie, Adam thought with a shake of the head. He really was losing it. The door to the back room swung open a moment later to the girl he'd been looking for all day, carrying a 5 lb bag of sugar from the back room. Her hair had been pulled up and there was a trace of sweat on her forehead before she saw him. The moment their eyes met, the sugar hit the floor with a bang.

"Adam?" She seemed to question, looking behind her as, what appeared to be her manager came out of the door behind her carrying two alike bags of sugar.

"Julie? What happened?" He asked before Adam could say anything. She broke their gaze to look at her manager.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I lost my grip on the bag. I don't know what happened..." She tried to explain as he seemed to nod.

"It's okay. It's only your first day, you'll get the hang of it." He encouraged. "Why don't you help the customer and I'll get a broom." He smiled politely at her. Julie returned the smile but it left her face when she looked back at Adam. She seemed to take her time walking to the register, her pregnant belly very visible now that she wasn't trying to hide it. Adam couldn't help but think how much more beautiful the added weight made her. She finally made it behind the computer screen and pursed her lips slightly, tapping lightly on the screen.

"What can I get you, sir?" She asked loud enough for her manager to hear. Adam leaned forward slightly,

"Julie, what are you doing here?" He asked, a hint of surprise still in his voice. "I thought you worked in the library?" He questioned, though he'd been there many times trying to catch her working.

"I could ask you the same." She sneered back, lowly over the computer. "Stalking is illegal in all 50 states, in case you hadn't heard." She sneered at him.

"I didn't even know you were working here." He tried to defend before the door to the back room opened again and Julie's manager reappeared with a dust pan and broom. Julie cleared her throat,

"So what can I get for you?" She looked at Adam expectantly. He looked back at the menu contemplating what to order when he saw a help wanted sign clearly visible behind the counter.

"You guys still looking for help?" He questioned loud enough for the manager to hear him. He seemed to perk up a bit,

"Yes, sir, we are. Are you interested?" The manager asked walking over. Julie's face paled and she gripped the counter in anger, trying to give Adam her best death glare. It didn't seem to faze him as he spoke softly with the manager,

"As a matter of fact, I am. I'm recently unemployed and I love coffee so it seems perfect..." He said looking to Julie. Her face was unchanging.

"Well, perfect, I'll grab you an application and we can do an interview right now!" The manager seemed excited, hurrying to the office to grab the papers.

"Perfect indeed... What are you doing..." Julie hissed at him. Adam didn't seem to be fazed before the door behind her creaked open. She looked down before it crossed her mind that Adam had said he was unemployed but before she could inquire more the manager was back and pulling Adam to a table in the back.

"Julie, can you get us a couple of coffee's while we talk?" The manager nodded back. Julie smiled back, knowing just what to do.

The emergency room was crowded when Dean Portman rushed in the doors, Belle Montgomery in his arms. She was completely unconscious now and hadn't said a word in the car except to groan every few minutes and grab at her stomach. He quickly made his way over the receptionist sitting behind the counter and twirling a pen between her fingers.

"Hi, yeah, my girl..." He cut himself off, looking down at the girl in his arms. There was not time to really explain their situation so he'd have to improvise. "My girlfriend is pregnant and having some pains in her stomach..." He tried to explain without stopping himself again. He struggled to adjust her in his arms as not to drop her. Let them think what they want considering Belle was dressed in her best party dress and he was in torn jeans and a leather jacket.

"Name please..." The receptionist seemed bored with her job, popping some gum in her mouth.

"Belle Montgomery..." He spoke quicker, hoping he could speed up the process and her in to see a doctor. Belle seemed to groan in his arms and turn her face into his chest.

"Insurance?" The receptionist continued.

"I don't know, look, can someone just look at her, she's pregnant... We can figure all this out later..." He was getting frustrated quickly.

"Sir, I'm going to need a little bit more information before I can get her in to see a doctor." Dean cut off the woman.

"Screw your information, I need a doctor now!" He raised his voice, feeling the frustration forming on his face. The receptionist seemed taken back, her mouth hung open for a moment before he looked down and silently closed it.

"Sir, you're going to need to calm down or I'll have you escorted out of the hospital.." She warned, not making eye contact with the crazy man in front of her.

"I don't care as long as you help her!" He yelled again. The receptionist was just getting ready to call security when Todd Winchester appeared out of nowhere, a hurried pace in his step as he approached Dean and Belle.

"That will not be necessary.." He said hanging the phone up for the receptionist that she had just picked up to dial security. She was about to object when he flashed her his biggest grin.

"I'm sorry for my friend here but we're in a bit of a medical emergency and we need to get in right away. I'll stay here and fill out the necessary paperwork and take care of the bill if you just let him to get her looked at. I promise I'm good for it." He again smiled at her. The receptionist blushed slightly, nodding in agreement before buzzing the door to let Dean take Belle into the check in rooms. The receptionist was casually twirling her hair around her finger when Dean looked back at Todd for a moment nodding his head in thanks before the doors shut behind him and he was left to worry about the girl in his arms and their baby.

The Chinese take out place on the corner had been super fast when Fulton had placed their order, not ten minutes before. It hadn't given him much time to think before he was back in the car with her, not knowing what to say. He knew he'd do whatever she wanted him to but he didn't want to rush her into anything. He'd waited too long for this moment to have it ruined by rushing. The ride back to the apartment had been silent. Tammy fussing over a string hanging from the hem of her dress rather than look him in the eye. He knew that the night was now going to be kind of awkward with the unspoken shyness he loved about her. She was ready to jump out of her skin with anticipation. The idea of making love that night was out on the table but he didn't know if he could take the opportunity and still be okay with himself after. _He wanted her, there was no doubt there but was she ready, was it the right time, would she feel the same after?_ So many questions hung in between them now.

Tammy's mind was on the same pattern except she was asking herself those questions along with others like _what would Fulton think of her body, did she wear the right underwear for anyone to see? _She thought back to getting dressed that afternoon and was relieved she had chosen a plain white bra and matching boy shorts. _At least she was okay in that area_ she thought with a sigh. Fulton seemed to notice and silently took her hand from her lap.

"We don't have to do anything." He whispered as he kissed the back of her hand. She nodded understandingly but resumed her deep thought as the apartment building came into view in front of them. When he stopped out front Tammy looked up at the old building that looked to be a warehouse at some point and studied the peeling paint and large glass windows.

"This is it." He motioned, getting out of the truck with their food. Tammy stepped out silently, still looking up.

"It's big..." She said, looking down the block to the other buildings that were smaller but still part of a warehouse district. Not the nicest neighborhood. Not her small suburb block but somehow perfect for the guys. The sight of some hockey pucks and an old trunk in the alley put a smile on her face as she remembered shooting pucks into one very similar when she was 14 and trying to impress Fulton with her non hockey skills. _He hadn't even noticed her_, she thought when in reality he hadn't take his eyes off her.

"Come on," He motioned, leading her up the front steps to the large front door. She followed quickly, grabbing his hand as they made their way up the stairs. By the time they got to their floor, Tammy was looking back down the stairs they had just come up.

"Top floor?" She asked. He nodded, pulling his keys and opening the door to let her in. The minute she walked in she immediately felt at home. The living room stood right in front of her, a couch against the front windows that went from floor to ceiling and two chairs on either side. The TV was kind of in the middle of the room facing away from her. The coffee table was piled with junk from the guys eating dinner in the living room. Off to her left was the kitchen, it was small, really only one wall with a half wall looking into the living room with stools. Looking down the hall on her left, she saw a series of doors she could only imagine led to bedrooms. Some were obvious, the half ripped Metallica poster on Portman's door, the open door to her right with hockey sticks and green bedding that belonged to Guy. The neatly organized room to her left that screamed Adam Banks. Looking further down, the last three doors were shut . She studied them carefully, looking to the tie hanging on the right hand door and figuring that must belong to Charlie which left only Fulton and Averman. The clue that gave it away was the comic book dropped just outside the door on the right that led Tammy to believe that Fulton's room was the one at the end of the hall.

Fulton had dropped her hand and was making his way to the kitchen to grab some plates when she realized he wasn't next to her anymore. She made her way to the counter and dropped her purse on top, looking to what Fulton was doing on the other side. He shuffled around, finding plates then forks and began to open containers and dish out food. _It smelled delicious_, she thought, not remembering the last time she was allowed to have Chinese food.

"So, you want to watch a movie, there's a ton of them in the bookshelf over there." He pointed to the wall behind the door that had a large bookshelf stacked to the brim with DVDs. She smiled lightly, leaving him to his work and walked over to look through the titles. The Fast and the Furious, Rambo, Rocky, and bunch of horror movies she skipped right over. _They were all action, blood and gore movies. No way a girl lived there_, she laughed to herself. She stood back up and noticed a pile on top pushed to the back and reached up to see what they were when the whole stack fell on her. She shrieked in surprise stepping back as Fulton came running over, a look of concern marking his face.

"What happened?" He asked, checking to see if she was alright. She laughed out loud at her silliness.

"I'm fine, I just couldn't reach the one's on top and they kind of fell on me." She blushed, looking down at the movies scattered across the floor. The redness on her cheeks intensified when she realized what she was looking at. Fulton followed her gaze and looked down to, quickly began to collect the private videos he'd been telling Portman to put back in his room for forever. Tammy was silent as he picked them up.

"I'm sorry, I keep telling Portman these shouldn't be put here where everyone can see. Not that we have little kids or anything around but still... For times like this..." He mumbled fast as he blushed feverously, quickly moving to Portman's door and tossing them in on his bed. He shut the door quickly, walking back over to Tammy, who was still looking at the ground with embarrassment.

"Were those.." She began but he cut her off,

"Pornographies, yeah..." He blushed again but Tammy just seemed to burst out in laughter. She'd never seen one of those in her life. Imagine what her Mother would have said that very moment... She couldn't stop laughing. It felt great to be free even for a few hours. Fulton soon followed her infectious laugh before they calmed, holding on to one another, their arms twisted together to hold the other up.

"Those were the most ridiculously outrageous names I've ever heard. Like Space Rocket... Really?" She seemed to laugh again before stopping and realizing she was in his arms, looking into his eyes. The moment seemed surreal but prefect none the less.

"Fulton, I..." She began but he shushed her pretty quickly with his finger before just staring at her again. He stare was intense but she looked right back, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

"You're so beautiful when you laugh. The way you blush and it all goes right to your cheeks. I've never seen anything like it in my life." He whispered, touching her warm cheek with the palm of his hand. "I can't help but love you. I love you so much." He whispered. She felt her heart melt then and there and knew she wanted this night. Even if it was only this one, she wanted it with everything in her. She wanted him to make her feel loved and wanted, all the things she'd been denied for so long. Before he could protest, Tammy leaned forward and pushed their lips together firmly igniting the same passion they had had in the car just a little while before. The movies seemed to lighten the mood enough that Tammy no longer cared what underwear she had chosen or whether she'd regret this in the morning, all she knew was that she was in love with Fulton Reed and she didn't want to be anywhere but here, in this moment and in his arms. Fulton quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground against him as he moved them down the hall to his door, the last one as she had predicted. The Chinese food was left to cool on the counter, forgotten by the engrossed couple struggling to get the door open without letting go of each other.

The moment Fulton managed to get the door open with her still in his arms, the temperature seemed to shift and they went from loving kisses to passionate kisses with a need like no other behind them. She was on fire, a feeling she'd never known before. Tammy's hand moved from his shoulders down between their pressed bodies and reached in to undo Fulton's tie and start unbuttoning his shirt. He let her feet back to the floor so he could work on the zipper on the back of her dress but found there wasn't one.

"Tammy, how do I...?" He questioned in between kisses, trying to look at the back of her dress.

"Side." She breathed out, working on getting his shirt free from his pants as quickly as she could manage. He reached under her arm and found the zipper hidden there, making quick work of that and her green waist sash as her hands reached for his belt. _Everything was going so fast_, Fulton thought, feeling his pants hit the floor around his ankles. Before either of them knew it, they were standing in front of the other in their underwear, curious eyes looking over the other. Tammy looked down slightly, avoiding looking at him in just his boxers, her face again showing embarrassment and began to turn away, covering her chest from Fulton when he caught her.

"Hey, you're beautiful... I've been waiting for this day since we were 14 years old." He smiled kissing her neck as he brushed her hair aside.

"Me too..." She nodded looking up into his eyes. He looked down at her with love in his eyes and she began to feel more comfortable in being almost naked in front of him.

"Do you trust me?" He asked in a whisper, not wanted to ruin the moment.

"With my life." She whispered back. He smiled, pulling her to him and leading them over to the bed. The back of his knees hit first and he sat down keeping his eyes locked on hers the entire time. He felt if he broke their connection she'd revert back into her shell. Tammy felt her heart beating wildly in her chest as she watched him reach his hand up to touch her right breast gently. She couldn't help the intake of breathe at the intimate contact and placed her hand over his to stall his movements, closing her eyes to control her breathing.

"We don't have to do this." Fulton reassured her. Tammy felt her heart tighten a little more at his words but she opened her eyes to his again.

"I want to do this," She whispered. "With you, tonight. I've wanted this for so long too. I want you to make love to me." It was his turn for his breath to hitch in anticipation. Looking into her eyes one more time, he reached for her face and pulled her down to him in a sheering kiss.

The interview hadn't taken long at all and Adam was gainfully employed again. Maybe not at the same salary he had been but it was a start. Julie had dropped off two coffees at the table before but something in the way she had smiled in his direction made him not want to try whatever she might have put together for him. Standing from the table, Adam shook his new manager, Mike's hand before headed for the front door. Julie stood behind the counter wiping down the coffee station when he passed. He raised his coffee to her and her face seemed to give away her shock that he was drinking it.

"See you tomorrow, buddy." He smiled back, dumping the coffee in the trash before looking back at her. "You'll have to try harder next time." He said softly before exiting the shop. Julie's face only soured before she took the lemon juice out from behind the coffee machine. _He wasn't going to work there for very long_, she promised herself, _he could not do this to her_. _She had gotten the job first and she really needed one, why did he have to ruin it. She'd told him she didn't want to see him. Damn him!_ She silently cursed, finishing up cleaning the counters.

Belle Montgomery's eyes fluttered against the bright lights shining down on her. For a moment she was disoriented and didn't know where she was but the repetitive beeping and strong sterile smell led her to believe that she was in a hospital. How she had gotten here was a different story. She went to reach up and rub her head when her arm wouldn't move due to something pressing it down to the warm blankets. She tried to sit up enough to see Dean Portman, he head resting on her arm as he seemed to be sleeping. She had to take a breath in at the sight of him looking almost childlike when he slept. All the worry and anger was gone from his face since the last time she had seen him. She slowly moved her arm from the other side and ran her fingers through his long dark hair that flapped into his eyes.

Dean stirred at her touch and his eyes fluttered open to look up at her. He quickly sat up, wiping any drool off of his face that many have occurred.

"Hey." Belle whispered softly, almost afraid to use her voice, her throat was so dry. She had a new found admiration for the man in front of her.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked. She did a quick survey of her body and felt a little stiff in her abdomen but besides that fine.

"Fine, I guess. What happened? Is the baby...?" She seemed to trail off, touching her stomach.

"The baby's fine. Perfectly healthy for a 14 week old. it was the stress of the fight that caused some cramping." He smiled, touching her hand that resting on her stomach.

"Dean, I... I don't know how to thank you for taking care of me." She looked down at their entwined hands.

"You have no idea how scared I was driving you here. I thought we were losing the baby and I was losing you..." He couldn't look at her when he said those words. Belle's breathe caught in her throat, she couldn't response for a minute before she was able to think clearly.

"Dean, I..." What she was going to say was interrupted by the door to her room opening and Todd Winchester walking in.

"Todd?" Belle questioned almost in awe he of all people that would be there. He flashed her a smile.

"Belle..." He whispered coming to sit on the other side of the bed next to her. She let go of Dean's hand to place it on Todd's face.

"Todd, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I should have told you... It just happened..." The tears were starting to leak out of her eyes as she tried to explain how she had come to be pregnant and in the mess they were currently in.

"Shh... it's okay... We're going to figure this all out." He said taking her in his arms. Dean backed away slowly, letting go of Belle's other hand he had been napping on and slowly rising from the chair. Belle was still crying into Todd's designer shirt when Dean made it to the door and silently left the room.

_Couple Songs: Tammy and Fulton "Fearless" by Taylor Swift, Charlie and Linda "Won't Let Go" By Rascal Flatts, Julie and Scooter "Forever & Always" Piano Version by Taylor Swift, Connie and Guy "Keep Holding On" by Avril Lavigne (The song the story's named after), Portman and Ashlee "Better than Me" by Hinder and "Didn't You know" by Kellie Pickler, Averman and Ashlee "To Make You Feel My Love" by Garth Brooks, Portman and Belle "The Reason" by Hobbastank, and Julie and Adam "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias (Also the title of another FanFiction for Adam and Julie)_


	20. Chapter 20

The air in the club was thick as Dean maneuvered his way through the smoky dance club to the bar. He wanted to forget tonight and the look in Belle's eyes when Mr. Perfect had entered the hospital room to save the day. _It was obvious she loved the guy, so how was he going to compete with Todd Winchester, the Mayor's son. He was a nobody, a high school hockey player that never graduated college or held a job for more than a few weeks._ _Dean Portman was a loser_, he decided in his mind. The only thing he had going for him was the kid she was carrying and if Todd accepted that little fact than he was SOL as the saying goes. So Dean wanted to forget tonight and forget as fast as he could. Ashlee didn't pick up the phone when he had called her and she had every right not to, he'd been a bastard to her too. She was probably crying to her big brother as he was thinking it. _Great, a black eye awaited him when he got home_, he thought bitterly. The only other option was to go out and get drunk and probably find someone to take home.

Finally making it to the end of the bar, Dean hailed the bartender and ordered a beer. _The bar was packed but it was a Sunday night after all_, he thought glancing around his immediately area for a no strings attached fling. He seemed to eye one at the other end of the bar. A well endowed blonde sat at the other end of the bar looking him up and down with a smile on her face. Dean smiled back but turned away, searching elsewhere. She wasn't the type he was looking for tonight. No, he needed someone to make him forget Belle Montgomery's name. Looking around the bar, the bartender came back with his beer and he paid for it and began to walk around the club. Many girls stopped to look at him but none fit the bill of what he was looking for. Someone that didn't look like Ashlee, someone with dark hair instead of light, someone he could imagine was Belle when he took her.

The girl he was looking for seemed to appear out of nowhere at a table in the back of the club. It looked like it was ladies night, as she was seated with 5 other women laughing excitedly at a joke. Dean watched her with hungry eyes for a few moments. Her hair was chestnut brown, falling casually against her exposed shoulder blades. The shirt she was wearing left little to the imagination as to what she was wearing underneath, being held together by a clasp at the back of her neck and one at the bottom of her back. Her jeans rode low on her hips to reveal a tattoo on her lower back peeking out from under the shirt and no ring on her left hand. Dean took a long swing of his beer for confidence before he approached.

The women all looked up at him immediately as he walked up to their table. Some smiled while one in the back gave him an appalled look of annoyance.

"Excuse me ladies, didn't mean to interrupt your fun but I was across the room and couldn't help but notice how beautiful you all are." He smiled his winning smile at them all and even the mean girl couldn't hide the smile that formed on her lips. His target stared up at him with doe eyes, a smile on her lips as she raised a glass to him to take a drink.

"I was wondering if you would like to dance?" He asked of the brunette leaning down to take her hand. She smiled and nodded, standing from her seat and letting him lead her to the dance floor. The moment they got to the dance floor, she was grinding against him in a not so subtle manner that said he could take her home if he'd like. Dean's heart raced with anticipation as their bodies rubbed against each other on the sweat packed dance floor, to the beat of the drum. People were doing similar dances right next to them, the dance floor packed tightly together. The girl could definitely move like no other Dean had danced with before but looking into her brown eyes Dean's stomach lurched forward. He held back his displeasure and continued to grind with her, not meeting her eyes again. He was surprised after only 3 songs that she wanted to find some place quiet with him. He nodded, thinking back to if he had a condom in his wallet, he was pretty sure he did, as she led him towards the back entrance of the club.

The night air felt good on his heated face when the door swung open and the girl pulled him into the back alley. Her hands were on his body forcefully, pushing him up against the concrete wall with force and shoving her lips to his. Dean let her take control for a minute before grabbing her by the waist and turning them around to pin her against the wall. He braced her hands above her head and attacked her neck with his lips. She quickly wrapped her legs around his waist, a playful smile on her lips as she grinded into him again.

"God, you're hot!" He whispered, grabbing at her body through her shirt, her kisses were running down his neck before she pushed his jacket off his shoulders. Dean gripped her backside in his hands and pulled her towards him to create more friction in their jeans when she let out a throaty moan,

"Oh, don't stop." She cried and threw her head back against the wall with excitement. Dean laughed lightly, when her hands reached between them to get to his belt buckle, it was then that he felt his back pocket start to vibrate. His cell phone was ringing, he thought. _Should he get it?_ The girl in his arms was telling him to ignore it, as she finally got his belt undone and was working on his pants. The images of Belle earlier in the day flashed before his eyes and he pushed the girl off, dropping her against the wall very unceremoniously. She let out a huff of surprise when he reached into his back pocket to see it was Belle's cell phone that had called him.

"Fuck..." He swore softly, turning away from the girl against the wall. They were both panting heavily but Dean's initial excitement was gone. His phone beeped to let him know he had a voicemail and he thought about checking it but the girl behind him stopped him.

"Well, are we going to do this or not?" She asked coming to stand next to him, her hair messed up and make-up smudged. Dean's momentary lose in thought had him looking to her face and her doe brown eyes again. She wasn't Belle, she wasn't who he wanted anymore. She was some easy girl he found in a bar for quick sex. It was in that moment that Dean realized this was exactly why he was the jerk he was. _Maybe this girl didn't expect anything afterwards but still, how would it affect Belle? If she loved Todd, then it wouldn't affect her at all but if she had any feelings towards him and she found out he went and screwed someone else, how would he explain?_

"No, I'm sorry. I have to go..." He said quietly, buckling up his belt and walking quickly from the alley. The girl looked positively stunned but no words left her mouth as Dean walked quickly to the end of the alley and around the building. He hit his voicemail box and put the phone to his ear to listen to Belle at the other end.

"Hi Dean, I'm sure you're home sleeping. I probably should be too but I felt like we really didn't get a chance to talk before, you left so suddenly. So many things are different now that everyone knows. My parents were here before... I don't really want to talk about what they said but the baby just wanted to hear your voice, I think... I really wanted to hear your voice too. "She whispered the last part before she let out a huge sigh, "Anyways if you get this and want to call me back, that's be great. I'm just sitting here in my hospital bed with no one to talk to..." He could see her puppy dog eyes now even through the phone. "Okay, bye..." Her message ended and he hit the end call button. Finally making it to his car, Dean looked back at her number before hitting the call button before he could think differently, _maybe there was a reason this was all happening. He needed to be a better person for his child and if he wanted any chance with its Mother he had better start acting like it_. She picked up after the second ring,

"That was fast, did I wake you?" She asked. He laughed slightly, hearing her voice live was so much different to a message,

"No, I was up..." he reassured her.

"oh, good, look, I was an emotional wreck earlier, I wasn't expecting to see Todd actually be here. So when he was I got a little upset. I didn't want you to leave..." He closed his eyes for a moment, _yes, this was the start of a new Dean Portman._

"I didn't want to leave either but I felt a little out of place with yours guys private moment." He said softly.

"No, Todd and I have been best friends since we were little kids... He's my best friend before anything else." She whispered. Dean felt a slight glimmer of hope.

"Can I come see you?" He asked quickly.

"Well, visiting hours are over but... I wouldn't mind if you can get in..." She was almost challenging him. He smile, unlocking his car and getting in.

"Oh, I'll get in. I'll be there in a few." He said hopefully.

"Okay... bye..." She whispered before the phone disconnected. _He was going to change, starting tonight, _he thought. _He had to change for her and their baby_. Starting the car, Dean only had one girl on his mind that girl was Belle Montgomery.

Averman walked quietly up the three flights of stairs after vacating the apartment for a few hours to clear his head of everything that was Ashlee Banks. After this afternoon's encounter with Ashlee ripping apart Dean's room and ended up in her brother's arms, Averman had had about enough of Ashlee Banks and her drama. _There's only so much one man can take_, he thought with a shake of his head. _Only so many times you can have your heart ripped out and stomped on_. Making it to his door, he saw a figure, curled up by the door mat, sound asleep. Ashlee Banks lay sound asleep her head resting on her hands, her face tear streaked with makeup. Just when Averman's will power had kicked in and told him to be done with her and let Adam handle her, she let out a soft whimper like a wounded animal. He knew how this would end, he knew she'd use him and leave him again but Averman just didn't care. She was Ashlee Banks and his world revolved around her and no one else. He quickly unlocked the door and cracked it open before picking up Ashlee and carrying her into the apartment. She stirred just as he kicked the front door shut and looked up at him. He gripped his shirt in her hands and looked down. He quickly walked them to the couch and sat down with her in his lap.

"What happened, Ash?" He asked with concern in his voice.

"Everything is so messed up. Belle's pregnant... I think it's Dean's... I mean, he said she was interested in you..." She sobbed into his chest, trying to make sense of the lies Dean Portman had told her. Averman felt his heart ping at the jab that Belle could be interested in him, though Ashlee hadn't meant it that way, he still felt like even the ugliest girl would never be interested in him.

"I just wanted him to love me..." She cried. Averman rubbed circles on her back, trying to calm her but his heart was beginning to ache the familiar ache of sorrow_. How do you comfort the woman you love when she's crying for another man?_ His heart was breaking in his chest when he brought her face up to his.

"Ashlee, do you want me to get Adam for you?" He asked looking in her eyes. She looked back at him.

"No, I don't want him to see what a fool I've made of myself again. If I'd just listened to him I wouldn't hurt like this now, right?" She asked, holding onto his shirt. A few tears fell from her eyes as she spoke and Averman wiped them away with his thumbs, trying to think of the right thing to say in this situation. Meanwhile, Ashlee was staring at his face thinking of that morning when he'd held her very similarly as she cried. Averman had been there for her when she needed him not only today but for her Father's party and even before that to lighten the mood with a joke or listen to her concerns. _He was the one constant good thing in her life right now_, she thought, tracing the lines of his face. Without thinking too much, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, wondering how it would feel to kiss him. Averman was surprised at first but braided his fingers into her hair to pull her closer and deepen the kiss. This was the first kiss that Les Averman had been dreaming about with Ashlee Banks. A kiss that would prove to her that they belonged together. When they needed breath, they pulled back and stared at each other. Averman smiled down at her as she bit her lip in amazement of the feelings stirring in her.

"Make me forget, Averman. Make me forget Dean." She whispered coming back in for another kiss but the statement had completely soured the mood for Averman, He didn't want to be a rebound or a distraction. If he was going to be with Ashlee Banks then he wanted to be with her on his terms.

"Damn it, Ashlee!" He yelled pushing her off of him and unto the couch as he stood. "I will not be that guy!" He yelled again. She had never seen this side of Averman before and was taken aback by his outburst. Shought he was enjoying himself too.

"Averman, I just thought..." She tried to explain but he cut her off,

"No, you can't see what's right in front of your eyes can you? I've been there for everything, for anything you ask of me and yet you still can't see how much I care about you?" He asked, feeling like pulling his hair out.

"Averman, I..." She started again but he cut her off again.

"No, when you really want me and not someone to help you _forget_ you come see me." Averman said storming out of the room and into his bedroom, leaving a very confused Ashlee Banks on the couch.

The moonlight crept through the slightly open window curtain unto Tammy Duncan's bare arm. She watched it dance with the wind that blew the curtain into the room, letting in the cool night air. A sigh of contentment escaped her lips as Fulton tightened his arms around her from behind, pulling her flush against his body. Her other hand was laced with his as it rested against her chest, his breathe tickled her neck as it escaped his lips in a repeat pattern. He was sound asleep after their second bout of love making that night, she thought with a smile but she couldn't get her brain to stop working. It was like a light went off in her head and suddenly the whole world was different. She was different and not just because she wasn't a virgin anymore either. She felt stronger, more powerful. She could take on the world if she wanted to and certainly take on her Mother. Fulton grumbled into her neck, before he pulled her closer to him to cuddle into her shoulder, putting a smile on Tammy's face again as she snuggled back into his body, feeling the heat coming from his skin on hers. She could stay like this forever if the world would leave them alone, she thought peacefully. Glancing at the bedside clock, she read that it was near 2 in the morning. Her mother had more than likely figured out she was gone by now and had the cops out looking for her but she didn't care. All that mattered what here in this bed with her. Tammy's memories danced back to hours earlier and the feelings of giving herself to Fulton completely. They were no longer two individuals, they were a team, one entity existing in two bodies and not even her Mother could take that away from them. Making love to him for the first time had cemented that connect and had been the most powerful thing Tammy had ever experienced. They belonged to each other and no one could change that. Fulton groaned again, this time, pressing his lips to her bare shoulder and continuing to kiss up her neck to just below her ear.

"Why are you awake?" He asked gently, nibbling on her earlobe playfully. Tammy felt a chill run down her spine at his touch and laughed uncontrollably, rolling over in his arms to face him.

"No reason, just thinking about stuff." She whispered in the dark.

"What stuff?" He asked, beginning to kiss down her neck now that she'd give him access. She pulled his face back up to hers and kissed him on the lips again, looking into his eyes.

"This changes everything..." She whispered, her eyes searching for reassurance in his. "I'm yours now, I don't care what anyone else thinks or says." She whispered. He smiled softly, lacing their fingers together again in between their bodies.

"And I'm yours..." He returned, kissing her hand. "Forever..." He whispered.

"You really mean it?" She asked, feeling tears brim on the bottoms of her eyes. He nodded only slightly for her to see.

"Yes, forever, Tammy. You and me." He looked back into her eyes before she kissed him hard on the lips. The kiss took his breath away but soon he was responding and pulling her against him.

The next morning Connie sat at her window once again looking over the deserted streets waiting for her grandparents old car to pull up. She hoped she had given them good enough directions to not get lost getting here. the idea of seeing her son after 3 years. The last time she held him was on his second birthday when he had asked her not to leave like last time. It had brought tears to her eyes but she knew she had had to do it to provide for him. Robbie would be 5 this year and starting school in the fall. How did time pass so quickly she thought, shaking her head as the dull ache in her abdomen started again. She reached for her pills on the counter and took her dose for the morning before looking up to Julie's door opening. The pregnant girl looked up at her, clad her in her Eden Hall issued pajama bottoms that hung low under her belly and a baggy t-shirt, Connie though might have belonged to Scooter at one point. Julie sighed with exhaustion, going to the refrigerator to get a glass of juice when she remembered what day it was.

"Oh my gosh, when are they going to be here?" She asked excitedly.

"Any minute..." Connie trailed off, looking out the window again. Julie joined her, glancing up and down the street for any sign of the car. Connie's eyes wondered to the bike chained up out front, signaling that Guy was home and just one floor above her. She didn't know how she was going to explain this to him. _I'm Sorry Guy you're a Dad' that didn't sound right_, she thought just as the old car began to rumble down the street towards their apartment. Connie's breathe caught in her throat with nervousness. _How would Robbie react? Would he hate her for leaving him?_ Connie's chest tightened at the thought. Before she knew it the car was parked out front and Julie was racing down the stairs to meet them. Connie didn't have time to think of how this might all play out just that it was happening and she needed to not act like a complete mental case. The sound of voices coming up the stairs told Connie they had made it in the door with Julie's help and she only had a minute to compose herself before her child would see her. She rushed to the mirror just next to the door and combed back her hair with her fingers before rubbing her tired eyes from not sleeping. _Guess that was as good as she was going to get_, she thought. walking out into the hall just as an excited 5 year old bounded up the stairs. He stopped at the landing, his curly blonde hair falling into his big brown eyes.

"Robbie." She managed to breathe out before a smile lit his face and he ran full force into her legs.

"Mama!" He yelled excited, wrapping himself around her right leg with his strong 5 year old grip. Connie couldn't help but smile as her pulled his arms away to kneel down and hug him properly.

"Mama, am I really coming to live with you. like for real? Grandma said so but I didn't believe her..." His tiny voice was going a mile a minute as Connie's eyes welded up in tears.

"Yes, my munchkin, you are..." She breathe out, relieved he was just as excited to be here as she had been to have him. He squealed with joy before bounding into the apartment at full speed to look around. Connie was left kneeling on the floor as her Grandmother and Julie made it to the top of the stairs with a few bags of Robbie's stuff.

"Connie, my dear." Her Grandmother hugged her tight, her own tears in her eyes at the sight of her Granddaughter.

"Hi, Gram." She breathed out, relief that the situation had turned out well enough.

"Your Grandfather is staying in the car, today's not a good day." The older woman said, looking down to the floor boards. Connie nodded,

"Won't you come in for a minute and see the apartment?" Connie asked. She nodded wordless, following Julie and Connie inside where Robbie was jumping on the couch. _At least he had had the manners to take his shoes off first_, joked Connie in her head. He looked so much like Guy, the only difference was the eye color. She watched him silently for a moment, it was just good to see him happy and healthy.

"Robbie, get down before you break your neck." Her Grandmother had scolded. Robbie immediately dropped down and ran for his Mother's leg again, which Connie didn't mind as they all stood in the kitchen.

"So, Robbie went to the doctor for his annual checkup just a couple of months ago so you shouldn't have to take him unless he's sick. All his toys are in that bag over there," She pointed to a large duffle bag near the door. "His favorite is the hockey action figures you got him last Christmas." Connie smiled at that, looking down to Robbie as he smiled back. "So, I don't think you'll need anything else, it's a long ride back so we should be getting going." Her Grandmother tried to hide the pain in her voice, she knew it couldn't be easy to give back a child you'd taken care of for three years but Connie was his Mother, however horrible a one she had been. Connie hugged her tight as she left,

"I love you, Grandma. Thank you for keeping him safe." She whispered. Her Grandmother nodded too choked up to speak and left quietly with a quick wave to Julie as she went. Once the door was shut, Connie looked back to Robbie, who was already trying to open the bag of toys. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to try to get to know her son.


	21. Chapter 21

Belle Montgomery's eyes opened to the sun shining on them from the curtain being drawn in her hospital room. She blinked a couple times and blocked the light with her hand before a short stocky nurse came into view, holding the chain to the blind.

"Morning, Ms. Montgomery. It's time for your breakfast." She said, walking to the door to bring in a cart with a tray of food on it. Belle closed her eyes for a moment longer before relaxing enough to feel the weight of Dean Portman's head on her stomach. She looked down to a mass of black curls, finding her hand intertwined with his and her other hand resting on his head. She didn't even remember him coming in last night. After waiting almost an hour for him to get there, Belle finally gave up and went to sleep. _How did he manage to fall asleep on her without her knowing? She'd been tired but not that tired._

"Poor guy, been here since just past midnight waiting to see you. He was sleeping in the family waiting room until about three hours ago when I took pity on him and let him in. Is he the baby's father?" The nurse asked softly. Belle looked down at him again and was a bit amazed Dean had waited to see her instead of taking off in typical Portman fashion. She only nodded a response at first, taking in the man on her lap. She nodded her head in the nurse's direction again before looking up to her, a small smile on her lips.

"I thought so, he's very devoted to you." The nurse smiled, setting Belle's tray on her rolling table and leaving with a click from the door shutting. Belle softly ran her fingers through Dean's hair as she waited for him to stir but he didn't. He seemed peaceful, his head against her stomach where their baby was growing.

"Dean?" She finally whispered, again stroking his hair. He mumbled something and shifted his arm that had been tucked against his chest to around her waist and continued to sleep on. She groaned just slightly, now realizing how badly she needed to go to the bathroom with him squeezing her stomach.

"Dean..." She said a bit louder hoping he would wake up but again his did not. _What was wrong with him? _She thought in her head and she tried to pry his arms from around her to get up but he just tightened his hold and pulled her against him more. _This was not working_, Belle thought with a groan and leaned back against her pillow. She thought of what she could do to wake him up when he seemed to wake on his own and begin to rub his nose against her belly button. She laughed out loud, suddenly very ticklish in that spot.

Dean sat up quickly at her laugh and looked around to where she was leaning back on her pillows.

"Hey... Good Morning" Belle finally said when she could stop laughing. Dean looked back at her and saw Belle's face lit by the light coming in the open window, her face covered with a joyous expression. She had no make-up on and her hair was tangled from the night's sleep but Dean didn't think she could be any more beautiful than in that moment. He suddenly remembered the morning after they'd slept together and how she'd already been up and dressed before he even opened his eyes. She didn't have that luxury this morning and he was glad of it. To be able to see the real Belle and not the one she painted on for everyone else. They say that when women are pregnant, their partners are more attracted to them but Dean didn't think that had anything to do with it when he looked into her eyes. Belle was just beautiful to him. She stared at him for a second before turning her head a little and narrowing her eyes.

"What? Do I have something on my face? Do I drool when I sleep?" She asked playfully, bringing her hand to her chin to check. Dean seemed startled out of his thoughts.

"No, I'm just still tired." He lied, rubbing at his eyes and earning a knowing look from Belle.

"You really waited to see me?" She asked, smiling. He nodded his head,

"Yeah, I figured eventually they'd let me in." He laughed. She did too, covering her mouth with her hand to hide any morning breathe. "I promised I'd get in one way or another." He added. When she was able to stop laughing Belle looked back at him.

"Dean, I never got to thank you. If you hadn't picked me up and taken me here..." She trailed off, placing her hand on her stomach. Dean put his over hers and they both just looked at their intertwined fingers.

"I know." He said to assure her he knew what would have happened. "But it was my fault. I should have told Ashlee from the beginning and not let it get as far as it did. I'm sorry." Belle nodded,

"It's not your fault. We're both to blame in this situation. At least Todd doesn't hate me. Whether he wants to marry me, well that's a different story." She looked the other way when she made her last statement and Dean couldn't help but smile a bit at the chance to have a shot at being with her. "He's not sure he wants to raise someone else's kid." She sighed running a hand through her tangled hair.

"What did your parents say?" Dean asked causing Belle to turn back to him.

"I don't really want to talk about it. It's really stupid, the idea that my Father came up with and I won't do it. it's not fair to you or me." She said looking down at her hospital blankets and playing with the ends. Now Dean was curious as to what they had to say but he didn't want to push her.

"What did they say about me?" He drew the conversation back to another topic but her eyes narrowed at that.

"My Mother didn't have anything to say considering she was still drunk and passed out in the car. It was my Father that came to see me on both their behalves." She sighed. "He wants... He wants us to act like we're in love..." She trailed off when she said it and again looked down. Dean almost didn't hear her and when it registered what she was saying he couldn't believe it.

"But why? They can't like me. Did you tell them how we met and everything?" He asked, standing from his chair to pace the floor. She nodded, her cheeks getting red with embarrassment. She wasn't sure of her feelings for Dean Portman and if he didn't care for her at all then this whole idea could just blow up in their faces.

"Yeah, I did. My Dad says any way we spin this, my family will look bad with me cheating on the mayor's son. So he wants to preserve as much good from it as we can for his next election to the senate and make me seem like a victim or something. The other option was to say you attacked me but I would never do that." She tried to explain as best she could. "He says that if we act like were in love we can say that we had to hide our relationship because of our different back grounds and my obligation to marry Todd. I swear he wants to play some Romeo and Juliet thing... He says the public will love it." She groaned hoping to not sound too into the idea. She didn't want him to feel like he had to do it.

"He also said he'd pay you... If you were interested. I have nothing left to lose either way." She trailed off before Dean turned quickly to look at her. She was looking down at the blankets again, too embarrassed to see his reaction. "I mean, it would just be until after his election in November and then we'll say we broke up or something... It's a stupid idea, I'll just tell him no again." Belle trailed off.

"I'll do it." Dean stated firmly, _thinking if he could only spend some time with her then this could work. What better way to get her to like him then have to pretend they were actually together_. Belle looked up quickly, not quiet understanding his eagerness to do this but hoping it had something to do with her and not the money.

"I'll do it, Belle. I'll pretend we've been together this whole time if you want." He nodded. Belle nodded too,

"Okay... After the election you're free to go and so am I. The baby will be here by then and we can work out arrangements." She said solemnly. "Todd is still going to be a part of my life too, I just want you to understand that." She reminded him looking back up into his eyes. She could swear she saw a pang of hurt flash in them but was quickly hidden.

"Okay but Belle, I promise you during this whole thing, I won't be with any other girls. I'm going to be committed to the two of you. I won't screw this up for your family." He promised. Belle nodded, liking the idea of a faithful Portman before laughing slightly,

"I'll believe that when I see it, Dean." She smiled as he did too.

Fulton Reed rolled over to an empty bed when he reached out for Tammy. The sheets felt cold when he touched them before opening his eyes and looking around the room to see where she went. Her dress still hung over the back of his desk chair and her shoes were still discarded on the floor as they had clumsily made their way to the bed the night before. So _where did she go?_ He thought just as a loud bang of something hitting his door caused him to sit up. A loud cheer erupted from the hall and Fulton pushed the hair from his face before standing to find some boxers and a t-shirt to wear. Opening his door slowly he was met with the person his had been looking for. She was standing at the other end of the hall, his hockey stick in her hands getting ready to shoot a street puck in his direction, most likely to the side turned bucket that was at his feet.

"Fulton, you're awake!" She cried happily, abandoning the stick and running for him at full speed. She was dressed in one of his t-shirts and a pair of his shorts that were way too big for her. Behind her, Adam Banks and Les Averman stood with their hockey sticks, apparently there that been some sort of shooting match going on. Tammy launched herself into his awaiting arms before wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him.

"I came out to make us breakfast and Averman was already up so we made pancakes, you have to try them..." She said happily getting down and pulling him towards the kitchen.

"You owe me twenty bucks, Cake eater. I'll show you I can still shoot a puck." She seemed to tease as they made it back to Adam and Averman who were picking up the pucks and sticks.

"I'll give you that you can still shoot but you can't aim worth a damn." He laughed, tossing the stuff on the couch before returning to the kitchen to eat his pancakes where he'd left them. Guy was there too, sitting at the table, reading the newspaper that Adam must of got that morning and drinking coffee. He looked up at Fulton and nodded, going back to reading an article. Fulton thought he'd been rather quiet these past few days but didn't make any comment since Tammy was shoving a plate of pancakes to his chest. He laughed lightly, sitting across from Guy at the table and beginning to pour syrup on his breakfast. He'd just completed the task before Tammy was in his lap, cuddling up to his chest.

"I wanted to wake up to you." He said quietly, rubbing her back through his t-shirt.

"Me too and I was just going to make breakfast and bring it in but then everyone started waking up. I haven't seen any of them in forever so I wanted to spend some time with them and then we woke you. I'm sorry, baby." She whispered, kissing his ear. He smiled slightly, _how could he be mad at her?_ He thought, treading his hand through her hair and pulling her in for a kiss.

"Guys, not at the breakfast table. I mean, we haven't had a duck relationship since Guy and Connie and they were pretty bad but..." Averman started but was cut off by Guy abruptly getting up and leaving the kitchen. Tammy and Fulton had broken apart by then and everyone watched him leave.

"What did I say?" Averman asked, looking to Adam and then Fulton and Tammy. Everyone seemed to shrug before going back to what they were doing. Averman flipped another pancake in the pan.

"So what time do I have to have you home?" Fulton asked, beginning to eat his food. Tammy shrugged, knowing she was in trouble already.

"I don't really care. I'd rather spend the day with you but I have nothing to wear..." She said looking down at her lack of fashion.

"Well, we can go to your house and get you something to wear or I could take you to get something. I mean, your dress is fine to wear to a store." He suggested. Tammy's eyes lit up.

"You'd take me shopping?" She asked, wondering if he cared that much. He nodded,

"Yeah, I mean, I don't have a lot of cash but..."

"Don't worry about that, I haven't spend a dime since I won the Olympics but you'd actually go?" She questioned again. He smiled, leaning forward to kiss her.

"Tammy, of course, I'd do anything to spend more time with you." He smiled. She kissed too before jumping up.

"I'm going to go get changed so we can go." She said, kissing him on the nose and rushing out of the kitchen at top speed. She popped her head around the corner a minute later. "I love you, Fulton." She smiled before disappearing again. He smiled too, finishing his pancakes and ignoring the stares he was getting from his roommates.

"Whipped already..." Adam said, laughing slightly over his coffee cup as Averman made the whipping noise from the stove he was standing at. Fulton chuckled slightly, _let them laugh._

"I love her guys, I'd do anything or her." He defended. At that moment Guy came stomping out of his room, tossing on his grey sweat shirt and headed for the door. He didn't say anything to anyone before opening the front door and exiting with a bang. The three occupants of the kitchen turned to look.

"What's up his butt lately?" Adam asked, coming to sit across from Fulton at the table. Fulton shrugged, "I can guess it has something to do with the brunette living one floor down but that's just speculation." Fulton commented before Adam nodded in agreement.

"They can never seemed to get it right. Either they're together or their not." Adam shook his head.

"None of us can..." Averman added thinking back to the night before and glad that Ashlee had not told Adam about their argument or the fact that they were kissing in the living room. In fact she had left right after their interaction and not even woken Adam as she might have planned.

"Well whatever it is, I'm not going to let him ruin my day with his problems. I think I'll go see if Tammy needs help getting dress." Fulton smiled, dumping his plate in the sink.

"Don't you mean undressed..." Adam chuckled opening the paper to the business section. Fulton ignored him, heading down the hall to his door. He was torn on whether he should knock or not and finally decided against it, opening the door and walking in. Tammy stood before him in her bra and panties, trying to run his comb through her long blonde locks that were tangled from rolling around in the sheets the night before. She looked up when the door opened ready to run for cover if it was someone other than Fulton.

"I thought you were getting dressed." He mumbled, coming to wrap his arms around her waist and kiss her shoulder. She smiled,

"I was and you're distracting me." She smiled, turning in his arms to kiss him on the lips. A moment later the kiss turned passion driven and Fulton was picking Tammy up and carrying her back to the bed. She laughed slightly as she landed on her back, getting one of her shoes she had collected to the small of her back. She quickly pushed her shoes and dress to the floor as Fulton continued to kiss her neck and collar bone.

"Can we start this morning over?" Fulton asked, playfully. Tammy nodded, capturing his lips with hers.

"I think that's a good idea." She said before being consumed with passion again.

Guy Germaine stomped child-like down the stairs towards the next landing huffing about Averman minding his own business when the sound of a race car caught his attention just before he tripped over it. Being as lucky as Guy was these days, his torn pant leg caught in its wheel and pulled him to the ground face first. Letting out a groan of annoyance, Guy looked up to find a small blonde boy staring down at him, a look of pure dread on his face. Guy's first reaction would have been to yell and ask the boy where his parents were but a feeling of realization overcame Guy as he looked at the boy. He'd swear he'd seen this kid before but he knew he hadn't. Sitting up on to his knees, Guy looked at the boy more closely.

"I's sorry, mister. I didn't mean to." The boy promised, rocking on his feet nervously while swinging the controlled between his teeny hands. "Are you okay?" The boy asked after Guy didn't respond to him for a minute, just stared awkwardly at him. Robbie was really nervous he was going to get in trouble. Guy nodded a little, trying to figure out where he could have seen this kid before.

"I'm fine. Do you live here?" Guy managed to get out. The boy nodded, looking back towards the hall behind him.

"Mommy says I shouldn't talk to strangers. She'd be mad if she knew I was talking to you." He seemed to worry. Guy nodded again,

"You live with your Mom?" Guy asked, the boy seemed hesitant to answer but nodded, pointing down the hall.

"Are you going to tell her I tripped you. I didn't mean it." The boy seemed nervous now that he'd told him where he lived.

"No, have we met before?" Guy asked, confusion marking his face. The boy shook his head but seemed to be studying him as well before the door the boy had pointed to opened,

"Robbie, it's almost lunch..." Connie's voice trailed off at the sight before her. Her son staring at his father in the middle of the hall. Guy was on his knees, eye level with Robbie and they were intently staring at each other, a look of confusion on both their faces. When both sets of eyes turned to her and a realization passed between her and Guy, Connie felt her world start to spin and then go black. Guy watched with confusion as Connie's eyes gave away her secret but before he could react, she was on the floor passed out.

"Mommy!" Robbie screamed, dropping the controller and running to Connie's crumbled form. Guy was immediately up too and rushed to her side.

"Connie, Connie!" He frantically asked, picking up her torso and resting it on his knees. He lightly tapped her cheek to get her to wake up. Julie had come rushing out of the apartment at that moment and seen what was happening.

"Oh god, Connie? What happened?" She had asked Guy.

"I think she fainted. Help me get her inside." Guy motioned for Julie to hold open the door while he carried her into the apartment. Setting her down on the couch, he began to pace the room, a million thoughts running through his head. _It was becoming clear now but the real answers would have to come from Connie and in typical Connie fashion she was avoiding the conversation_, he thought with a chuckle looking down at her on the couch just as she started to stir. Julie was sitting on the coffee table trying to brush the hair out of Connie's face.

"What's wrong with Mommy?" Robbie asked, tears beginning to form in his eyes. Julie got up to comfort him as Guy watched for the first time noticing the boy's features. He had Connie's eyes, big brown doe eyes that Guy knew he'd never be able to say no to but he had his hair, blonde curly hair that Guy fought with every day of his life and he had his nose. _God, he was a father and he hadn't even known it_. Guy had to sit down, staring straight at the boy who continued to wail in Julie's arms.

"It's all your fault!" Robbie yelled at Guy, snapping Guy out of his trance.

"No, it's not Robbie. Your Mom just fainted." Julie tried to calm the situation as Connie finally opened her eyes to look around.

"Mommy!" Robbie yelled, breaking away from Julie to run to Connie before she could even bring her head up to look around.

"Robbie, what's wrong?" There was a silent conversation between the two of them, Connie realizing Guy was seated across from her before Connie wiped his tears, "Can you take Aunt Julie to play in the hall?" She asked, Robbie shook his head,

"No, he'll hurt you again." Robbie argued,

"No, he won't hurt me. Mommy was just shocked is all and I need to talk to him then I'll explain everything to you, okay?" Connie reasoned. Robbie finally agreed and left the room with Julie trailing behind him. Connie watched them until the door was shut and then sat up and looked at Guy.

"I guess we need to talk..." She mumbled, tucking the hair behind her ears in a nervous fashion. She hadn't planned to have this conversation so soon. She wasn't sure what to say. Guy nodded, standing from the chair to pace the room again. _He wasn't sure how he felt right now, he was a Father and not just anyone's Father, he had a kid with Connie_.

"Is he mine?" He asked quietly, stopping to look at her for when she answered. He had hoped but he could have been wrong. Connie nodded,

"Guy, I wanted to tell you but I... I couldn't do that to you..." She reasoned. Guy felt his anger began to surface. _She kept him from him._

"You couldn't tell me I have a kid?!" He exclaimed, raising his voice before realizing Robbie was right outside the door and was probably listening. Connie seemed to think the same thing as she looked to the door for Robbie to come in. When the door didn't open she continued.

"Guy, it was the last time we'd been together. We were stupid and forgot to use protection. I couldn't ruin your life when you had everything going for you. We had decided to split so I did what I had to do at the time." She defended.

"What you had to do? Keep him away from me for his entire life? I don't even know his name..." Guy was trying to calm down but was doing a poor job of it. It had been his dream at one point to have kids with Connie and now he did but it was not as he had thought it would have been. _No, joyous pregnancy announcement, no waiting for Connie to go into labor. Nothing like he imagined. _

"Robbie... His name is Robbie..." Connie sighed, looking down at the floor. She felt like she had robbed him of something when she looked into his eyes. She needed to look down to stopped herself from crying.

"Where has he been this whole time?" Guy asked, wondering how he hadn't seen him before now. Connie had been living there for months.

"With my Grandparents. I couldn't afford to take care of him but I wouldn't give him away either. I... I was trying to make a better life for us." Connie felt tears begin to come to her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to control them.

"By stripping? You wanted to make everything better by stripping when you could have just come to me instead. I loved you, Connie. We would have gotten through it somehow. I could have taken care of the two of you." Guy argued.

"I know I've been stupid but don't take it out on Robbie now. He deserves to know how great you are." Connie pleaded. For the first time Guy shut up and sat down in the chair across from her to study the damaged hard wood floor.

"Where do we go from here..." Guy wondered, looking to the closed door and the sounds of laughter coming from the hall.

"You could meet him and tell him who you are." Connie suggested, hoping Guy would want to be in Robbie's life. The color seemed to drain from Guy's face. It was the first time Connie had seen him so nervous since he got his acceptance letter from MinnU and he didn't want to open the letter.

"Does he know about me?" Guy asked, swallowing hardly. The room was suddenly very hot. Connie nodded,

"Yeah, he's got pictures of us that my grandparents put by his bedside table at night and I've told him about you." Connie reassured him. Guy nodded, looking to the door again as it opened abruptly and Robbie rushed in, jumping in Connie's lap. _He wasn't ready yet._

"Mommy, Mommy, I flipped my car like ten times. Ask Aunt Julie, you should come and see!" He exclaimed. Connie laughed hugging him to her before turning to Guy. He looked like he could throw up.

"Actually Robbie, I have someone I'd like you to meet." She said taking a deep breath, "Robbie, that's your Daddy." She whispered in his ear loud enough for Guy to hear. Robbie's eyes turned to Guy with a look of amazement. Guy felt himself under the gun with the little guy's eyes watching his every move. He finally cleared his throat and stood, walking around the table to sit in front of Connie and Robbie on the coffee table. Julie was watching from the doorway, trying not to intrude on the private moment.

"Robbie, I... I'm Guy and I didn't know you existed until today. So I'd really like the opportunity to make that up to you..." Guy said looking down to extend his hand before Robbie flung himself in Guy's open arms. Guy was momentarily knocked back before he was able to sit upright and hug Robbie to chest as Robbie was trying to do to him.

"Daddy, Daddy!" Robbie exclaimed over and over again, not sure if this was all real. Guy held him to his chest, hugging him soundly. The room was silent beside Robbie's small cries as Connie watched the exchange, tears in her eyes and for a moment Guy and Connie's eyes met and she felt like everything just might be okay.


	22. Chapter 22

The mall wasn't crowded for a Monday afternoon, so Tammy and Fulton were able to leisurely walk hand in hand through the corridor of the mall, their hands swinging softly between them in time with their strides. Tammy liked this feeling, it was a feeling of control in her life and completeness. Glancing into each store window, she debated whether she wanted to go in or not. If she paused too long Fulton would assume she had seen something she liked and usher her into the shop without question. It was a feeling of security, not overbearing protection like her Mother gave her but of knowing Fulton cared and wanted her to be happy in everything. Including mall shopping. She was happy though, more so than she'd ever been, at least that she could remember but all that didn't matter anymore. So what if she couldn't remember winning a gold medal, the real prize was by her side now. She'd found her way home like she should have been all along. This was meant to be from years ago and probably would have happened sooner had she not been sent to boarding school. Fulton smiled as she looked his way and smiled an equally large toothy grin at him. finally, this was what was right. He had to stiffen his laugh at looking at her so happy. He wished this day never had to end but they had to face the music sooner or later. Before they knew it, they were at the exit of the mall where Fulton had parked the Explorer. Tammy sighed, walking through the door he held open for her and quietly made her way to the car. Fulton put her bags in the back and slid behind the wheel.

"Fulton, can't we just go back to the apartment and lock ourselves in your room. No one can bother us there and we can pretend the world doesn't exist." Her eyes pleaded soft, a fear now creeping into them. He let go of the wheel and reached over to take her cheek in the palm of his hand.

"Tammy, I love you and I won't leave you if you don't want me to but we have to deal with your Mother at some point. We can't just pretend she doesn't exist. As much as I want to take you up on that offer and just take you home, you need to go home at some point. You'll just be prolonging the enevitable." She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, feeling her resolve come back to her that it didn't matter what her mother had to say, she was dating Fulton. Tammy nodded slowly, placing her hand over his and kissing his palm.

"You're right, I need to go home..." She admitted before beginning to kiss her way up his arm.

"Tammy, what are you doing?" He asked, watching her eyes on him as she kissed the inside of his wrist.

"Nothing..." She played coyly, moving herself on her knees in her seat. He smiled, knowing she was playing at something before she moved over the middle console and placed herself in his lap to kiss his collarbone and move up towards his face. Fulton laughed slightly, wrapping an arm around her waist to cushion her from the steering wheel and prevent the horn from honking. Her small nibbles at his chin had an effect on his resolve to take her home. When she kissed him like that he'd rather throw his seat back right here and have her just as she was but he would not treat her like that. He loved her and would always treat her with respect. She cupped his face in her hands and gently kissed his lips.

"Please Fulton, just one more night..." She asked, giving her best pouty lip. He silently ran his hand up and down her back in contemplation. _What's the worst that could happen?_

"What about your Mom. Would she like send the cops out after you or something?" He asked. She worried for only a second, smiling coyly.

"What could she really say? I'm 24 years old... I'm not a minor running off with her boyfriend. Don't they have laws for reporting a false missing person's claim?" She asked, running her hands along his chest. Fulton seemed to nod from his criminal justice classes at college.

"Yeah but she still could." Fulton reasoned, getting distracted by her hands running lower.

"She won't because I'll call Tommy and tell him where I am." She promised, grabbing at his belt buckle. Fulton sighed again before Tammy started to kiss him again.

"Please. You won't even know I'm there if you don't want to." She playfully promised, kissing the shell of his ear. He sighed, pushing her off of him before she could get his belt undone and back into her own seat. She thought he had not been effected by her advances but he sighed heavily, rubbing his face with his hand.

"You are going to be the death of me." He groaned, putting the car in reverse and beginning pull out of the spot. Tammy smiled to herself.

"Maybe but you'll love every minute of it." She smiled coyly, putting her seat belt on and adjusting her clothes.

The sun was setting just outside the open window as Guy Germaine looked down at the head of messy blonde curls asleep on his leg. Robbie had fallen asleep half way through the Lion King after insisting that Guy had to stay and watch it with him. Julie had left for work hours ago, leaving Connie and Guy with the little boy most of the afternoon. Connie had made them sandwiches as Robbie and Guy caught up on "essentials" as Robbie called them. Like what Guy's favorite color was, what his favorite sport was, why his name was so strange and where he lived. Guy smiled, remembering the little boy's questions. When they had turned to Connie and his intentions for his Mother, Guy had turned the conversation on what Robbie liked to do for fun. Hence The Lion King music playing in the background.

Looking over to Connie, Guy found her falling asleep to the closing credits in the arm chair a few feet away. She was still beautiful, her chestnut hair falling over her arm that she had rested her head on to keep herself propped up and awake. He could see her arm slipping now as her eyes closed with exhaustion. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to go back to the way it used to be. The two of them inseparable. The ducks had enough trouble keeping them from groping each other in public, when there was no one around the passion was burning and all consuming. He wondered if it would still be the same with her now. A groan from Robbie kicked his thoughts instead to his son and getting him tucked into bed. The noise seemed to wake Connie as well as she looked over to the two of them with a small smile on her lips.

"I think it's time to get this kid to bed." She said standing from the chair to come get Robbie. When she bent to scoop him up, her back seemed to give out and she set him back on the couch, gripping her back as she turned away.

"Are you okay?" Guy asked, concern in his voice, touching her arm with his hand.

"Yeah, he's just heavier than I remember." Connie lied, knowing any other time she'd be able to pick him up no problem. She hid her face from Guy and grabbed at her lower back. "Do you mind?" She asked, not looking at him. Guy slowly shook his head, somewhat happy he got to put Robbie to bed for the first time. He scooped him up quickly, hugging the boy to his chest as Connie showed him to Robbie's room down the hall. The walls were painted a dark green, duck green to be exact with Buzz Lightyear sheets on the bed. Connie pulled back the covers for Guy to put him in just as he started to stir.

"Mommy, Daddy?" He questioned.

"We're here, baby. Go to sleep. It's okay." Connie soothed, tucking the covers around his chest. Robbie seemed to accept the answer and fell back asleep with ease, Guy looking down at him before Connie turned on his night light and switched off the lamp on his table. Guy followed her silently from the room before she shut the door over and turned to Guy.

"I think that went well." She tried to smile not knowing how Guy would react to her. The last thing she expected him to do was pull her in for a kiss but he did, a passionate one at that. Guy gripped her head to his, both his hands tangled in her hair. He had been wondering what this would feel like again and he got his answer as she responded back and sought a deeper kiss. Guy obliged her and opened his mouth to hers in a heated embrace before pulling back with soft pecks on the lips. Connie felt like the room was spinning when he finally pulled back and looked at her in the eyes.

"Thank you for giving me a chance to know him. Thank you for keeping him safe." He whispered, holding the back of her neck in his hand and resting his forehead against hers. Connie nodded only slightly before he let go and turned away. He couldn't look at her red swollen lips and not want to kiss her senseless again. He ran a hand through his hair.

"I want to spend more time with him. Do you think I could take him once in a while. Maybe to the park or something?" He asked turning around. Connie was pulled from her haze, looking to the bright sun coming into the window, her fingers brushing her lips in thought.

"Um.. Yeah.. just let me know when and I'll have him ready." She nodded. Guy nodded in return.

"Okay then. I guess I'll stop by in the morning in between jobs for a few minutes to see him. Good night, Connie." He said walking towards the door and opening it.

"Good night." She whispered back, watching him as he left the apartment and shut the door behind him. _What just happened?_ She thought, even more confused than she had been earlier.

The coffee shop was quiet as the last customers made their purchases and exited the front door. Adam followed close behind them, flipping the closed sign and locking the door with a click of the knob. He had to admit it had been a while since he had done so much work or stood on his feet for so long. He guessed the job with his Dad hadn't been as bad as he thought but now it was idea of what that job had done to him and his relationship with the Ducks that made it so bad. Turning around he was met with the blues eyes of Julie Gaffney staring at him over the espresso machine she was cleaning. She quickly looked away when his eyes met hers and went back to doing what she had been, which was cleaning the filters and closing up all the unused ingredients. He sighed, looking to the dining room to begin to push in chairs and wipe down tables as he cleaned up.

"Great job, kids!" Their manager exclaimed, walking from the back room where he had been taking inventory of what needed to be ordered for the next shipment. "I knew it was going to be a win when I hired the both of you!" He smiled, a new bounce in his step. "I'll just be in the office totaling up the numbers for today, as soon as you're done cleaning up, you're free to punch out and go. Have a good night!" He nearly skipped to his office before closing the door behind him. Julie smiled somewhat disappointed that Adam was staying but in that same thought, slightly happy she'd be spending time with him even if it was working. He couldn't confess his feelings for her here, so they could co-exist without the pressure. She could never give him even the slightest hint that there could ever be anything in between them but it was fun in her own mind to run though the possibilities of what could have been. Glancing back at Adam in the dining room as he leaned over a table to wipe up an old coffee stain, she couldn't help but notice the tight jeans he'd worn to work today. She couldn't remember ever seeing him in jeans except maybe once during their trip to the good will games and then it had been loose fit jeans. _These were tailored, perfect fit jeans_, she thought admiring the view. He'd always wore the uniform to school or khakis and dress pants to Duck events. She couldn't help but like what she was seeing before she knocked over a glass jar of milk she had gotten out for the last customer. It spilled to the floor, soaking her shoes in process.

"Crap..." She cursed, grabbing a towel and getting down on her knees to clean up the spilled milk. So much for her dirty thoughts and daydreams, she thought with a sigh. _Was this pregnancy really screwing with her brain so bad? _

"Here, let me help." Adam's voice was next to her in a minute with the towel he had been using to wipe down tables. He quickly helped clean up the mess and stood to clean the counter.

"Thanks..." She mumbled thinking how stupid she was, _it must be all the pregnancy hormones_, she thought. She'd heard in the second trimester that women get stupid and really chemically imbalanced, _the baby must have been killing her brain cells_. She thought looking up at Adam as he cleaned the counter and finding herself now staring at his arm muscles as he moved. _What was wrong with her?_ She nearly yelled, looking down as he looked back at her.

"Here..." He said extending his hand to help her off the floor, it was hard for her get up and down with the adding bump to her midsection so she took his hand and began to stand when her foot slipped on some remaining milk that had been hidden under her knees. Good thing Adam had quick reflexes and wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her upright and against him, her baby bump pressed against him. _Now she really was going to die_, she thought, smelling the familiar scent she fell asleep to every night for weeks.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking to her face for a response. She nodded,

"Yeah, I'm fine... Just... Fine..." She said , removing herself from his grasp and moving to the other side of the room while he finished cleaning up her mess. The shop was quiet as they finished cleaning up and putting the cleaning supplies away under the counter.

"Can I drop you home or something? It's pretty dark out there." Adam asked, pulling on an old sweatshirt over his coffee shop t-shirt.

"No, I'll be fine." Julie replied with a shortness in her voice to end the conversation quickly. Adam nodded, pulling his time card from the stack and punching the clock before replacing it and walking from the room without a backwards glance. Julie waited a good five minutes for him to get ahead of her on the walk home before exiting the shop and beginning her walk home as well.

Just around the first corner home Julie got the feeling that someone was watching her and quickened her pace back to the apartment. She was almost to the turn for her street when a figure stepped out of the alley into her path. She gasped, stepping back in surprise before realizing Adam stood before her in the pale light of the dim street lamps, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Adam! You scared me half to death!" She yelled, hitting him in the upper arm hard with her fist.

"Ow, I was just making sure you got home okay... Where are you going away? It's almost like your heading for the apartment." He said rubbing his upper arm. Julie sighed, looking down to the right, away from his face.

"Wait are you still living there?" He asked, when she didn't look at him he knew he was right. "You're living with Connie aren't you?" He asked with realization. "How did I not know?" He asked. She looked back at him, knowing she couldn't deny the truth, guess her hiding period was over and she'd have to deal with him eventually.

"Yeah, I have been for the last few weeks." She confirmed, beginning to walk down their street. Adam followed quietly behind, watching her ahead of him in moonlight and occasional street lamp that passed overhead. She had been right there the whole time and he hadn't even known it. _He was so stupid_, he thought, thinking back to his conversation with Connie and knowing they would do anything for each other, including lie for each other. _He should have known._

"Can we please talk?" Adam finally asked as they reached the steps leading to the front door.

"Nope." Julie said quickly, taking the first step up. Adam grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Please, Julie." He pleaded, turning her to face him. Julie looked at the desperate look on his face and sighed, removing his hand from her arm but remaining facing him. She crossed her arms over her chest, resting them on her baby bump and waited for Adam to speak. The least she could do what hear him out after avoiding him for weeks.

"Julie... I don't know where to start... I love you..." Julie immediately cut him off at this and raised her hand to him.

"Enough, I've heard enough. Adam, this can't go on. We shouldn't be together and this... thing is ruining our friendship." Julie sighed heavy sigh. "Don't you remember when we used to like to be around each other? When there wasn't this hanging over our heads and making us uncomfortable. When it was easy to talk to each other and just be friends. I want that back, I don't want to hide from you because I'm afraid you'll confess your love for me every minute. Adam, we're better off friends, can't you see that?" She finished looking at him. Adam felt a bit of anger rising to his face as they thought of his next words.

"No, Julie, I don't remember a time like that because unlike you, I've loved you since I first met you! I've always loved you and always watched you date other guys. Why do you think I defended you against Portman when he treated you like crap? I loved you! I've always loved you and I wanted you to be happy but it's obvious to me now that I can make you happy! Me, the idiot that has loved you his entire life, that you just step all over for the guys that treat you like dirt. For a minute in my life, I was happy, really happy when I thought we could be together. Then I find out the reason why you left Scooter and you know what, it didn't bother me. I still wanted you and I'll always want you and I'm sorry if that bothers you. So when you're ready to admit that what I felt wasn't just one sided, come find me. I can't be your friend knowing I never only wanted that. I have to be honest with myself now. I quit my job and gave up my entire life to finally be honest with myself and everyone else." Adam nearly yelled, walking passed her and into the apartment. Julie just stood there for a minute taking in his words. She loved him, she did and probably always had as well but they had been too stupid to realize it. She felt tears coming to her tears but held them in. She couldn't feel sorry for herself, she'd made her choices and would have to live with them, including not messing up Adam's life anymore than she already had. Taking one glance at the sky to hold in her tears, she turned and walked into the apartment building, hearing the resounding slam of the top floor door, Julie made her way up the stairs to Connie's apartment and went immediately into her room to cry herself to sleep.

Tammy casually grabbed another slice of pizza from the box on the night stand table before bringing it to her lips. The movie Fulton had turned on the TV had engrossed her in the story and she liked this dinner in bed idea. She'd never been so at peace to be herself. Fulton watched her consume her third slice of pizza and laughed lightly.

"What?" She asked, looking to him. _There was nothing funny going on in the movie so why was he laughing?_ She thought with a smile. _Was he laughing at her?_ She looked down to her chest, seeing the blanket covering her and no pizza drippings and looked back to him.

"Nothing, just haven't seen any girl eat that much pizza before. Especially considering that it's an extra large pizza with pepperoni and sausage." Fulton laughed. Tammy was not a self conscience person but she quickly dropped the slice back into the box and looked back to the movie, crossing her arms over her chest in embarassment.

"I just haven't had pizza in... forever. I wasn't allowed it." She said, pulling the blankets up around her bare chest. Fulton smiled, inching closer to her to kiss her jaw.

"I like that you have an appetite. I don't want a girl that eats salads and drinks expensive water." He said with a smile. Tammy smiled too, turning in his embrace to kiss him back.

"Well then, you picked the right girl because I've been hungry for literally the past ten years..." She joked. He laughed out loud and pulled her to him, cuddling together against the pillows. They kissed for a few minutes, lazily enjoying the others mouth before Tammy pulled back and smiled up at him. They had already made love three times, she was more interested in having him hold her now than anything else. He wrapped his arms around her as she rested her head against his chest and continued to watch the movie. It was some chick flick that was on cable but he didn't care as long as he got to spend time with her. Her blonde hair softly brushed against his bare chest as she tried to find a comfortable place to rest it and he rested his head on top of hers. He thought about when she would need to go home and realized that he had taken this next week off as vacation from work. It was a use it or lose it kind of thing and it had worked in his favor this time. Who would have known when he had put in for it a few months ago that this week would turn into the best vacation he'd ever had. He wouldn't make her stay the whole week if she didn't want to but somehow he had trouble believing it would be hard to convince her. She sighed contently, rubbing the arm he had wrapped around her waist before her hand shot out and she grabbed her pizza slice again from the box and began to finish the slice. Fulton just smiled, kissing her forehead and pulling her close. Tammy Duncan was perfect in every way he'd ever imagined it and she was all his.


	23. Chapter 23

Almost a week later, the ride to the Duncan residence was quiet, Tammy contemplating what she would say while Fulton wondered if Tommy Duncan had a knuckle punch waiting for him. They hadn't meant to spend the whole week in bed. Fulton had sworn he was only going to let her stay one more night but instead he had let her stay a week. The house came into view just as the sun was setting and Tammy looked over to Fulton as he pulled up to the curb and put the car in park.

"Should I go in with you?" He asked, Tammy shook her head.

"No, I need to do this on my own. I'll call you in a little while, okay?" She asked, looking down before he put his hand under her chin to make her look at him. Her eyes were glassy but she wasn't going to cry.

"I wish we could just go home." She whispered, a slight smile on her lips. He chuckled too, bring her face to his and kissing her.

"You'll be fine..." He whispered, smiling. Tammy managed to smile too before grabbing her bags through the seats and turning to open the door. She stepped outside and shut the door, turning back to Fulton from outside the window.

"I'm gonna be fine." She promised before steeping away from the car and walking up with walkway towards the door, glancing back every few steps with a small smile. Fulton waited until she got to the door and walked inside, with one more smile back before shutting it behind her. He took a deep sigh and shifted the car into drive before pulling away from the curb to head home.

"I can not believe you!" Tammy's mother yelled at the top of her lungs. The China in the dining room cabinet shook with the vibration as Tammy sat down like a child on the sofa listening to her Mother yell and curse. she hadn't even made it up the stairs before her mother's shrill voice had caught her and pulled her into the room. Tommy sat next to her, plugging his ears at the noise, while her Father leaned against the arm of the chair next to her, his arms crossed over his chest, looking at the floor as to not anger his wife anymore than he already had in his defense of his daughter.

"Mom, I'm 24 years old! I've won an Olympic gold medal! I'm an adult!" Tammy screamed back at her. Her Mother's face had already been red now it was turning purple.

"How could you be so irresponsible, spending the week with him, when I told you never to see him again! Do you want to ruin everything we have?" Her mother acted as if she hadn't heard a word she'd said. Tammy finally stood from the couch, catching everyone's attention.

"Mother!" She yelled, stopping the woman in her tracks as she passed the length of the coffee table. Tommy and her Father both looked up at her.

"Mom, you can't forbid me from seeing Fulton. I love him and he loves me! If that's such a problem I'm leaving... I'm an adult, I make my own choices!" Tammy spoke softly as she had everyone's attention. "Why don't you treat Tommy this way! He's allowed to bring girls home all he wants and all he ever gets is a don't leave the seat up on the toilet!" Tammy exclaimed, turning to Tommy, who was motioning for her to shut up.

"Dad, why aren't you defending me even a little? Do you see how impractical she's being. Fulton's not a bad guy! He loves me!" Her Father's face remained down until her mother scoffed at this.

"He loves you, he probably loves your money or god help me, your body. He doesn't understand how important it is to keep you safe, look at what happened at the arena. One distraction from him and you lose two years of your life!" Her Mother yelled back at her. Tammy gasped, holding a hand over her mouth.

"How dare you! How dare you even suggest that it was Fulton's fault. I've seen the tapes, I was being stupid and careless! Fulton was the first one to get to me after the accident! Where were you?" Tammy yelled back. Her mother's eyes seem to harden at the accusation.

"I was where I was supposed to be, making sure everything was ready for you when you came off the ice. That you're skate covers were ready and your warm up jacket was there." Her mother said in a menacing low tone as if she could do no wrong.

"He loves me, no matter what you say! And I will not stop seeing him, if that means I have to leave then fine." Tammy said going to leave the room.

"Then what I said before still stands! You will not live under my roof and continue to ruin your life. You think he loves you so much, then he can take care of you!" Her Mother didn't even turn to her to tell her this. Tammy, who was half way out the door turned and looked at her family. She didn't want to believe it would have come to this but then again nothing was off limits when it came to her Mother. Tommy and her Father looked to her Mother, their mouths slightly open.

"Fine..." Tammy said low, "I'll leave tonight." Turning to walk to the stairs. She hadn't wanted to come home anyway.

"Wait a minute!" Her Father was on his feet in a moment staring down her Mother,

"Tammy, this is your home, you don't have to leave! Susan, be reasonable, Tammy is our Daughter. This thing with Fulton has been coming for years..." He exclaimed, looking to Tammy. Tammy nodded slightly,

"Yes, I do. I'll be fine, Dad. Fulton loves me." Tommy looked at her concerned before she turned to head up the stairs and collect a few things before she left. She hadn't really unpacked from the tour so most of her stuff still sat in her two suitcases but she looked around the room for anything else she wanted to take. Spotting an old picture of the ducks, tucked into the side of her dresser mirror, she plucked it from its corner and stared down at it. They were all so young, so unaware of what life would bring them. Connie and Guy were to the far left, snuggling up to one another while she and Fulton were in the top right, friendly bumping shoulders. Adam sat front row center next to Averman who was giving him rabbit ears and Charlie stood proudly next to coach Bombay. It seemed so long ago. She silently tucked the photo in her purse and grabbed her duck jersey from the back of her closet along with her stick. She figured anything she was forgetting she could probably buy another one of or maybe send Tommy back for. Looking around the room, she felt like a chapter in her life was closing and it was. She was an adult now and had to learn to take care of herself. Picking up her suitcases she walked into the hall and shut her door, the Tammy letters on the door mocking her as it shut. Tommy stood at the end of the hall waiting for her. Her parents were still arguing in the living room but it didn't matter now.

"So where are we going?" He asked, swinging his car keys around his index finger. Tammy smiled slightly.

"I can take a cab or something, you don't need to get in more trouble for me, I'm pretty sure I got you grounded for at least a week." Tammy shook her head.

"A cab, I don't trust those cabbies with my sister. Besides, I want to make sure you get where you're going safe." He smiled, taking one of her bags. Tammy smiled again,

"Okay... we're going down town." She smiled as he led her down the stairs. Tammy took one look back around the house before she left through the front door one last time.

The squeak of the night nurse's shoes on the fake ceramic floors distracted Dean Portman from his gaze out the sixth floor hospital room window. He turned to see her enter and give him a small smile.

"Visiting hours are just about over, are you going to sleep in the waiting room again tonight?" She smiled, quickly fixing the blankets on Bella's bed while she was out of the room. Dean smiled, a little embarassingly at her and looked down to the floor. She hadn't apparently noticed he'd been sleeping in Belle's the room the past few nights.

"No, Ma'am. I was hoping you'd let me stay with my girlfriend." He said quietly. She smiled to herself, adjusting the pillows and tucking the blankets up under them.

"Now you know that would be against hospital policies; seeing how you're not technically family."

"But I'm the father, so technically, I'm the baby's family." He cut in, causing her to laugh slightly, faking a cough instead.

"That maybe true, young man, but let's not be mistaken. The hospital frowns upon allowing unmarried couples to stay together over night. Us nurses can't be everywhere. Especially considering who Ms. Montgomery's Father is." She finished straightening the bed just as Belle was being wheeled in behind her by an orderly.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Belle responded quickly, smiling at Dean. She'd been doing that ever since he'd said he agreed to her Father's plan and he knew she didn't want to spend another night alone. The sight just about took his breath away. He wanted to run across the room and scoop her up in a kiss but he needed to play this cool if he wanted it to be for real.

The nurse having noticed Belle enter, turned to the young woman to help her get back into the freshly made bed. Belle quietly thanked her and reached out a hand to Portman for him to come closer.

"My Father understands our situation and trusts us to act like adults, right sweetheart?" She asked, grasping his hand as he made it over to the bed and took her hand in his, bringing it against his chest.

"Of course. Scout's honor!" He confirmed, giving the nurse a small salute. She rolled her eyes at him and mumbled an "Um hum." Before exiting the room without a further word. Belle immediately dropped his hand once the door was shut and adjusted the neck on her gown.

"I hate wearing this damn thing, It's choking me right now." She complained, tugging at the gown again.

"Here, let me help you..." Dean said, coming around to her back and reaching for the top tie that looked to be tied too tight. He quickly undid the tie, letting the gown fall open in the back to reveal a portion of her bare upper back. Belle's hand reached back to rub the sore spot on the back of her neck where the circulation had been cut off and inadvertently revealed a little more of her skin to Dean's wondering eyes. He immediately turned away, feeling his face heat up before she could notice.

"Dean, could you rub my neck? It's killing me right now." Belle asked, seemingly unsatisfied with the job her own hand was doing to work out the muscles. Dean took a moment to collect himself before turning back to her with a nod.

"Sure, no problem." He nodded again, sitting behind her on the bed as she scooted forward to make room for him behind her.

"Thank you. You have no idea." She groaned, leaning back against his leg that was tucked in front of him. His hands reached out to her neck and touched the soft skin that lead down to her shoulders. He felt an instant electricity flow through him from her. She skin was soft, softer than Ashlee's even and he knew she spent a lot on skin care products. Maybe Belle's skin was just naturally soft but how come he didn't remember it being that soft the night they had been together?

Just thinking of that night with the added skin contact he had on her, had him seeking a pillow to put on his lap. He silently scolder himself, trying to think of something else before she leaned further into his lap. _Goldberg naked, Goldberg naked..._ He repeated over and over in his head before she groaned slightly, liking the massage he was giving her. He was done for, he thought, figuratively throwing his hands in the air and continuing to rub her neck and shoulders.

"Dad's going to be here in the morning to pick me up..." Belle started a conversation to remove the awkward silence that had filled room. She didn't know he'd take so much pride in rubbing her neck that he'd get so quiet, she thought. Her eyes found the ceiling as his hands continued their work.

"He said he wants to let the press get a couple questions in as we're leaving to help them believe our story... Are you okay with that?" She asked, seeking out his response.

"Yeah, whatever he wants, right? He's the boss." Dean said still distracted. Belle sighed on the inside, she had really hoped that he would have wanted to do this. It was their chance to see if things could really work but she guessed he just wanted the money from her Father. She looked down to the blanket before nudging his hands from her shoulders.

"That's good, Thank you." She tried to smile up at him as he moved to let her sit back against the pillows. She probably should have told him to go home but how would that look to their little audience outside the hospital since that morning. Dean seemed to be thinking something similar as he walked over to the window and faced away from her to peer outside.

"They're still there..." Dean said with a smile, not turning back to her, "Suppose their waiting to see if I stay tonight again." He said as an afterthought. Belle nodded slightly, getting comfortable against her pillows and trying not to think about her growing feelings towards Dean.

"Yeah, they'll wait all night if they have to." She murmured silently, settling back on her pillow. "They're horrible." She mumbled to herself, closing her eyes.

"Even when we won the goodwill games, we never had to deal with press like this. Politics must be a big deal for them." He commented, finally feeling ready to turn back to her. When he turned around, she was fast asleep against her pillows. He knew she was exhausted so he settled in the sleeper chair in the corner and watched her as her breathe evened out. He wasn't going to be sleeping anytime soon so he was content in just watching her sleep.

The dark streets of down town all looked the same to Tammy Duncan as Tommy turned down another one in hopes this was the correct one that Fulton's apartment was on. Tammy sighed defeated,

"No, this isn't it..." She groaned, looking back to the corner street sign, she had been so excited to get there the night before that now she couldn't remember how to get back. Tommy slowly crept down the street, looking for anything that might trigger his absent minded sister's memory but everything kind of looked the same, old closed factory buildings that had been turned into apartments and dark alleyways leading to the next street. Approaching the next block, Tommy stopped at the stop sign and continued on, looking down at his gas meter that read half full, at least they wouldn't run out of gas anytime soon. The street lights played off the windshield as they passed under them and Tommy sighed, gripping the wheel tighter. He hated this part of town but it seemed quiet tonight.

"Should you call him?" Tommy suggested, knowing Tammy had her cell phone on her. He was just passing another intersection when she nearly jumped out of her seat,

"There it is!" She yelled triumphtily, pointing down the next street. Tommy sighed, _Finally_, he thought, pulling up to the curb behind an older Ford Explorer, he assumed was Fulton's. Tammy began to collect her bags from the back seat but Tommy was out of the car and getting them for her before she could struggle to get them all in her hands.

"I got this, you just lead the way." He said, kicking the door shut on his Subaru and following her to the steps. A dark haired girl was seated on the front steps, looking confused as they approached. Tammy looked down at her,

"Are you okay?" She asked the girl, who seemed to be taken back by the questions.

"Fi..Fine... I'm waiting for someone." She got out after a moment of hesitation.

"Someone who lives here? I can see if they're home..." In typical Tammy fashion, she offered to help. The girl seemed to nod only slightly,

"Ch..Ch..Charlie..." She said seeming like she was cold but there was not even a chill to the air tonight. Tommy had come up next to her at that point.

"Everything alright?" He asked, looking between them.

"Yeah, is it Charlie Conway you're looking for?" Tammy asked. The girl shook a bit but managed to nod her head in response.

"Okay, I'll see if his roommates know where he is." Tammy assured her, heading up the stairs. Tommy glanced back once to see if the girl was okay but continued on behind Tammy, heading up the stairs.

When they reached the top floor, Tammy knocked lightly on the heavy door and waiting for someone to come answer it. Within a couple of minutes there was shuffling and the door opened to Guy Germaine, looking rather disoriented and tired.

"Tammy? Tommy? What's going on?" He asked, pushing the hair back from his face. He hadn't really been sleeping with everything on his mind but he had been relaxed enough to have been disturbed by the knock that hadn't woken any of the other occupants.

"Hey, sorry it's so late, I kind of got kicked out and I was hoping Fulton would be here..." Tammy explained. Guy backed up now seeing Tommy with his hands full to let them in.

"Yeah, he's in his room. I heard the TV on in there a bit ago so he might still be awake." Guy nodded. Tammy was already half way down the hall when she turned back to Guy and Tommy.

"Oh, there's a strange girl down on your steps looking for Charlie..." She mentioned before turning back to Fulton's door and knocking lightly before entering.

"Strange girl? Was it Linda?" Guy asked turning to Tommy. He shrugged, not knowing Linda. Guy did not want to wake Charlie, he'd been in a bad mood for the past few days and he did not want to be the one to get his attitude but if Linda needed him, he thought he should at least tell him. Steeling himself, he walked to Charlie's door and knocked.

"Hey man, you awake?" He asked through the door. There was no response at first and then the door swung up and Charlie stood there in a t-shirt and some boxers looking ready to kill him.

"I have to work in the morning. What do you want?" He asked rather harshly. Guy was about to turn back to his own room and say screw it but he knew Charlie was upset about something and it had to do with the girl sitting down stairs.

"Linda's downstairs. She's asking for you but won't come up." He said quietly, looking up at Charlie when he was finished. Charlie's whole demeanor changed and he grabbed his pants quickly before he was out the door, not even wondering why Tommy Duncan stood in their hall. Guy shrugged returning to hall with Tommy.

"You can take the couch if you want. I don't know if we'll see Tammy again tonight now that their door is closed." Guy joked slightly. Tommy just looked at him as if to say, _that's my sister you're talking about_.

"Right..." Guy said softly, walking down the hall and knocking on Fulton's door. Tammy had snuck in quietly, the initial knock had not woken Fulton. He was asleep with his head tucked under the pillow she had slept on the past few nights. His body was stretched over the bed in a manner in which to take up the entire thing. Tammy had to laugh as she quietly shut the door behind her and tip toed over to the bed, lifting the covers slightly and crawling in next him. She stuck her head under the same pillow and watched as he let patterned breathes out his mouth. His hair was falling in his face and she reached out to push it behind his ear, gently running her fingers through it in the process. He seemed to stir lightly, reaching out to rap an arm around her waist and pull her to him like he'd done so many nights before. He sighed contently, once she was pressed up against him and he continued breathing away. She smiled to herself, thinking she would get use to see this every night now. Reaching up, she gently placed her hand on his cheek and leaned forward to kiss him. The contact of their lips meeting instantly woke him from whatever dream he was having and he pulled her tightly against him. It would have continued further if not for Guy's knock on the door.

"Hey guys, Tommy's waiting." His voice sounded through the door. Tammy had almost forgotten about her brother completely in her warm cocoon of blankets and Fulton. Fulton seemed to realize she was really there at that moment and his eyes widened.

"Tammy, what are you doing here? Didn't I drop you home?" He asked, touching her cheek with his palm.

"I... got kicked out." She paused for a better way to phrase it but it was just that. Fulton sighed, pulling her against him.

"I'm sorry, baby." He whispered, again hearing Guy knock on the door.

"Yeah, we'll be out in a minute." Fulton called out to him.

"It's okay, I was hoping I could move in here... with you?" She asked, looking down to interlace their fingers together. He smiled at her nervousness.

"Of course you can." He whispered, kissing her forehead before pulling the covers off of them and pulling her out of the bed. "Come on, before Tommy punches me." He said, quickly opening his door and seeing a waiting Tommy at the end of the hall with Tammy's bags around his feet. Tammy gripped Fulton's one hand in both of hers, following behind him.

"Tommy..." Fulton said, extending out his hand that wasn't occupied by Tammy. Tommy shook it firmly, letting Fulton know he was trusting him with his sister. Fulton seemed to nod in understanding before they let go.

"Thanks for bringing her. I would have come and got her if she'd called." He looked back at Tammy before she looked down at the floor.

"Yeah, it's no big deal. At least now I know where she'll be if I want to come and see her." He warned Fulton in that statement too. Fulton nodded again.

"Yeah, come by anytime." Fulton assured him. "You can crash on the couch if you'd like, I know the drive back can be long." Fulton offered, motioning to the well slept on couch. Tommy seemed to shrug,

"Nah, thanks though. I'll just be heading back before Mom finds out I helped Tammy escape." He joked, pulling his keys from his pocket and heading for the door.

"You take care of yourself, sis. Call me for anything, right?" He asked as Tammy hugged him.

"I will, promise." She nodded, grabbing Fulton's hand again before Tommy opened the front door and went out. The door shut behind him and Fulton turned to Tammy's luggage, going to retrieve it before she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. The luggage was forgotten when he picked her up and carried her to their room.

Guy groaned and shook his head watching them pass his open door, locked in a heated embrace. They were almost worse than him and Connie at keeping their hands off each other. At least they weren't loud about it, like some of Dean's girls. Where was Dean anyway? Guy thought, hearing Fulton's door get kicked shut on the other end of the hall.


	24. Chapter 24

Charlie Conway rushed down all three flights of stairs quickly, making it to the front door in record time. She was sitting on his front steps, watching the wind blow some garbage down the street. The street lamps just illuminated her face enough so he could see she'd been crying again. He slowly approached, sitting down next to her and wrapping his arms around his legs in front of him. She seemed distracted by the garbage so he just let the comfortable silence continue for a few more minutes.

"I've been out here for almost an hour..." She started quietly, looking down at her hands as they shook. She tried to control them but couldn't. Charlie reached out, taking both her hands in his one to control the shaking.

"I've been out here almost an hour and I have not seen one person until that girl just now." She finished her thought, looking up and down the streets. They were quiet and lonely, he thought, looking to a rat, digging in the trash off to his left.

"You'd think, this part of town would be brimming with criminals and prostitutes..." She seemed to be reasoning in her own head now so Charlie just listened, keeping a firm grip on her hands.

"That's the way the police made it sound and even Tyler said this part of town was bad and I shouldn't have come here alone." Her eyes were questioning as she again looked up and down the streets.

"But here I sit. No one in sight for almost an hour." She looked down, trying to collect her thoughts before she spoke again.

"So why, on that one night was there one guy on this street that wanted to hurt me?" She asked, fresh tears brimming to her eyes. "I remember sitting in the car for almost a half an hour, getting up the courage to come tell you off and tell you to stay out of my life. It was a night just like tonight, no one around. I felt safe." Her tears silently dripped off the end of her nose onto their intertwined hands.

"I got out of the car and started walking toward the door when he grabbed me from behind." Her eyes seemed to glaze at the memory. "I didn't even have time to scream." She thought how helpless she must sound, shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

"After..." She seemed to stall thinking of exactly after what. "After... When he was gone and I was laying in a pool of my own blood from the cuts, I didn't see anyone again until you." She looked into his eyes now, trying to make sense of it all.

"I'm starting to think I'm crazy. That it didn't happen at all. I wanted to come here tonight and make myself believe that it's as bad as they said it is here and that I was just another victim but it's not..."

"Shh... You're not a victim..." Charlie tried to sooth now, wrapping arm around her shoulders and tucking her into his chest.

"Why did it happen to me?" She questioned, burying her face in his shirt. It was then Tommy Duncan snuck passed them to get in his car and head home. The start of the engine startling her. She looked around franticly then looked back at Charlie.

"He wasn't from here..." Her words didn't make sense at first to Charlie. He searched her face for what she meant as Tommy's car drove passed and off into the night.

"Tommy doesn't live here, no." Charlie tried to reassure.

"No, _he_ wasn't from here." She stated again, looking into his eyes were certainty.

"Linda, I don't know..." She cut him off immediately standing and walking around him to the alleyway where it all happened. He followed her with a concerned expression on his face. She looked to the street from where she had been left and saw Charlie's car parked where it had been that night and hers right behind, again, as it had been that night. She remembered looking to the retreating figure after he had violated her as he ran from the alleyway and took a left away from Charlie's building. She remembered crying out, trying to crawl to the entrance to get help and the start of an engine down the block. Just as Tommy's engine had started a few seconds before. It had triggered her memory. She looked up at Charlie from the ground where her blood still stained the weeds. The filthy, dirty alleyway where she'd been raped. He looked back at her questioningly.

"I remember a car starting down the street just after the guy ran. I didn't think of it when I gave my report to the cops. Being here must have triggered it." She said, finally feeling like she might have some closure.

"Wait, you're saying the asshole drove here?" Charlie questioned, trying to figure out why someone would do that. Linda nodded absently, looking around the alley for anything else she could use to piece together what had happened. The police had done a good job at sweeping the alley for anything left of the assault. Nothing remained but the blood that would wash away with time.

"Why would someone do that? Were you followed here from the restaurant?" He asked. Linda shook her head,

"I... I don't think so. I was so angry at you though, I wasn't looking behind me." She looked up from the ground to him again and tears brimmed her eyes.

"Charlie, do you think I know him?" She asked, though tears. Charlie wrapped her in his arms, rubbing circles on her back.

"I don't know Linda. It might just have been a random person getting in their car. It might not be related at all." He tried to reassure her. She cried harder now, gripping his shirt in her hands. They stood there for a long time just clinging to the other before he felt her slack against him, out of energy to cry anymore. He slowly picked her up and began to walk into the apartment building. The sun would be coming out in a couple hours.

The sunlight peeked in through the mini-blinds unto Julie's sleeping form. Her phone buzzed softly on the night stand before going silent in the almost soundless room. Julie stirred slightly to pull the covers up farther over her shoulder. Her overgrown belly creating a visible bump in the blankets as she readjusted before rolling unto her back. A deep sigh escaped her lips before her eyes opened slowly, looking at the ceiling of her room and the sunlight dancing there. For a moment she wondered what day it was then she realized it was Monday and she didn't have to work today. She rolled over and tired to go back to sleep when Robbie's small voice on the other side of the door awoke her.

"Aunt Julie, are you going to come out for breakfast?" He asked, before Connie shushed him.

"Robbie, Aunt Julie is probably tired, she worked late last night and she's having a baby so she needs her sleep."

"Aunt Julie is having a baby? Today?" He asked confused. Connie muffled a laugh before leading him away from the door.

"No, not today... Let's just go eat breakfast." She said, her voice getting farther away. Julie laughed a little before grabbing her phone to see what time it was. When she opened her phone, she was greeted with a voicemail notice. Julie sat up, dialing her voicemail box before placing the phone to her ear and waiting for the message to play.

"Hey Julie, it's Scooter... Look, I'm sorry, I've been a jerk and I'd really like to see you. Can we meet and talk? Give me a call... please?" His message ended and Julie looked down at the phone before ending the call. She went to close her phone when a new message popped up. This time it was text message.

The screen read, "I'm Sorry..." with a heading of "from Adam." Julie sighed, pushing the hair back behind her ear before she closed the phone with a snap. Looking out the window onto the street. Everything was quiet outside, a few cars made their way up and down the street as Julie watched the traffic for a minute. She sighed before turning back to her phone. Did she text Adam back or call Scooter... She thought, rubbing at her worn eyes. She had cried for a while the night before, before finally falling asleep to the lull of the night crickets. It had been a rough week, luckily she hadn't worked with Adam again since that night. Looking down at her phone again she pressed the call button before she could change her mind. It rang once before he picked it up.

"Hi Scooter... Can we meet in a little while?" She asked. "Yeah... How about the coffee shop down the street?"

Robbie and Connie entered the kitchen in the next room, still talking about Julie.

"But why can't the baby come today?" Robbie asked as Connie got him in the chair at the kitchen table.

"Because the baby's not ready to come out yet..." Connie said, going to get some stuff together for breakfast.

"But when will the baby be ready?" Robbie asked as she came back with a bowl and a box of cereal.

"When it's ready... When did you become so inquisitive?" Connie laughed, grabbing a spoon from the drawer and sitting it next to the bowl as Robbie tried to pour the cereal. Connie grabbed the end of the box before he dumped the whole thing in the bowl and closed it box before returning it to the cabinet and grabbing the milk.

"Was dad in..quiz..a..." Robbie tried to sound out the word. Connie nodded slightly, thinking back to Guy at 13 and thought about all the time it took him to ask her out. All the flirting he did before finally just asking.

"Yeah, he was... He is I'm sure..." She turned from Robbie to put the milk away. She silently grabbed her pills from the drawer next to the fridge and took two in her mouth before grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge to wash them down. Robbie silently played with the cereal in his bowl, making airplane noises with his spoon when Julie rushed out of her room.

"I'm going out. Do you need anything?" She asked in a rush, grabbing a jacket from the closet.

"No, Guy will be here soon to see Robbie so... I'm just going to hang around the house today." Julie nodded,

"You take your vitamins?" Julie asked coyly looking to Robbie as he continued to play with his cereal. Connie nodded. They had come up with a secret code word for pills to not worry Robbie.

"Yep, all set." She said with a nod, also looking back at Robbie. Julie nodded.

"Okay, be back in a while." She said, closing the door behind her. Connie smiled, turning back to Robbie, his blonde locks curling against his forehead the way Guy's did after practice.

"Okay, if you're just going to play with your food maybe it's time to go watch cartoons." She said before he bolted from the table to the living room and sat in front of the TV. She flipped the station on with the remote and sat it back on the counter. The cartoons played in the back of her head as she collected the remnants of his breakfast and cleaned the dishes. A sharp pain in her side caused her to drop the bowl, smashing against the floor.

"Mommy?" Robbie asked from the next room. Connie gripped the counter but managed to get her voice out.

"I'm fine, Robbie. Just dropped the bowl..." She said trying hard to control her voice. Robbie seemed to believe her and went back to watching his cartoons, running a toy car across the coffee table. Connie slowly bent down and picked up the bowl and tossed it in the sink before gripping the counter top again in frustration. _Why was this happening to her? She had Robbie back and Guy was finally in the picture? She couldn't leave them now_, she thought feeling another pain in her side. _It would go away, right?_ She thought, taking deep breathes. _All this would just go away, she just had to keep moving_. She stood straight up and turned the sink on to wash the dishes, trying to ignore the pain as much as it hurt.

The clock on the night stand read 10:23 when Charlie finally rolled over to look at it. His eyes opened wide with surprise before he jumped to his feet. Linda was startled awake but quickly sat up.

"What's wrong?" She asked, looking around the room and pushing the hair from her face.

"Nothing... I'm just late for work..." Charlie said, a hint of anger in his voice. Linda pulled the blankets up around her as he searched the closet for a dress shirt and some slacks. She watched him with following eyes as he went to his dresser to get socks then back to his closet then back to the dresser for a matching pair. He didn't seem to mind changing out of his night clothes in front of her as he quickly put on the shirt, grabbing a tie off the rack. He fumbled with the damn thing before growling with frustration.

"Here, let me?" Linda asked sitting up on her knees on the bed. Charlie sat, putting his socks on as Linda looped his tie into a knot. Her hair fell into her face, giving Charlie a scent of it before she tucked it behind her ear and sat back to look at her work.

"There..." She said with a small smile. She didn't have much to smile about these days but at least she could still tie a tie. Charlie looked down at it, adjusting it slightly but otherwise leaving it alone.

"Thanks... I usually have Averman or someone tie them for me and leave them on the rack but it looks like I forgot to when I had them dry cleaned." Charlie said putting his shoes on. Linda looked down, remembering when they had basically lived together during college and she was forever tying his ties for him.

"Had to find a substitute for me?" She joked, looking up at him briefly before looking back to her hands. He came to sit down in front of her.

"I could never substitute you..." He smiled lifting her face to meet him by lifting her chin. She smiled only slightly, not meeting his eyes and for a minute Charlie thought he saw the old Linda. Once she realized the closeness they had inadvertently gained, she tucked herself back in his blankets and pulled them up to her shoulders. Charlie sighed, standing from the bed and grabbing his jacket.

"I'll be back after 5, you're welcome to stay as long as you want..." He offered. She nodded before finding a spot on the wall to occupy her mind. Charlie sighed again before walking out his bedroom door. Averman, Adam and Guy's doors were open, showing they had all probably headed off to work. Charlie didn't even think Portman had been home in the past week, which only meant Fulton and probably Tammy home. _Good,_ he thought_, another girl if she needs something._ He didn't give it anymore thought before grabbing his keys and walking to the front door.

The coffee shop was almost vacant when Julie walked in. Adam nodded to her from behind the counter before she found a table in the back to sit and wait for Scooter.

"Not working today?" Adam asked, trying to make small talk after their heated conversation a few nights before. He was eager to forget about making her upset with him. When she hadn't replied to his text he figured she was angry with him.

"No, just meeting someone... Can I get a hot chocolate while I wait?" She asked. Adam nodded, wondering who she would be meeting. He quickly made her hot chocolate with extra chocolate, the way she'd been making them for herself lately before returning to the table and sitting it in front of her. She smiled slightly, looking down rather than at him.

"Jules, I really am sorry about the other night. I just wanted to talk to you and I... I let my feelings get in the way. Can we start the conversation over again?" He asked. He was determined to convince her she loved him too if he had to stand here all day. She looked up to respond when her eyes looked behind him and the door opening to a well dressed Scooter entering the coffee shop. Julie seemed to look passed him and to Scooter, who waved just slightly and made his way over to the table. Adam's mouth hung open with shock. _Was she really doing this? After the way he had acted at Adam's company dinner? _

"Julie... wow... You've got a bump..." Scooter exclaimed matter of factly. Adam wanted to punch him at his stupid statement but refrained since he was on the clock. Instead he stood looking at him, a look of menace on his face. Scooter seemed to pick up on it.

"Banks, no shit. Working here now?" He asked, seemingly mocking Adam's new career. Adam crossed his arms over his chest and held his chin high,

"It's a pay check. How bout you? Still bullshiting your way up the company ladder?" Adam asked before Julie cleared her throat. Adam seemed to let go the last comment but that didn't go unnoticed by Scooter. _It was surprising Adam wasn't shining Julie's shoes_, he thought with a laugh_. She had wrapped around her finger, how cute_. it had been no secret to Scooter that Adam had it bad for Julie. It was his luck that Julie never seemed to notice. Scooter quickly forget the comment too and took his coat off.

"I'll have a large coffee, sugar and whole milk, thanks.." He seemed to dismiss Adam from their conversation. When Julie didn't protest Adam left the table, determined to listen in on their conversation from behind the counter. Scooter cleared his throat, looking again to Julie's extended stomach.

"So, how many months are we at?" He asked, looking over the table. Julie smiled slightly, touching her stomach,

"Almost six... I go to the doctor's at the end of the week to find out if it's a boy or girl..." Julie said proudly. Scooter sneered slightly, looking down at the table. The look did not go unnoticed by Julie.

"Are you going to keep it?" He asked, preoccupied with the sugar selection rather than her response.

"Of course I'm going to keep it. I thought you wanted to meet here to discuss us?" She asked confused on the current conversation and where it was heading.

"I do, I do... It's just I'm still in shock. I mean a baby..." The word seemed difficult for Scooter to say as he reached out to take her hand in his. His hands were the same, soft but cold. So different than Adam's, Julie thought before she pushed the idea from her head.

"Yeah, I didn't plan it either but I guess we'll just have to made due, right?" She said smiling. Adam could hear the pleading in her voice as he dumped almost the whole sugar bowl in Scooters coffee, he hadn't said how much.

"Well, I was kind of hoping you'd consider other options..." Scooter said as sweet as he could muster in his preppy boy tone. Julie's eyes shot up to his.

"What? I don't know what you mean..." Julie was horrified thinking about anyone taking her child. She pulled her hand away from his at once to touch her stomach. Adam' eyes shot up too, to look upon the man in front of Julie. Scooter seemed to flinch at the response.

"Well, I was hoping we could consider adoption or perhaps something else..." His voice trailed off. Julie looked outraged.

"Scooter, It's too late for an abortion and I would never consider one in the first place. How can you even come here with this when you knew how happy I was when I first told you?" Julie's eyes were glassy but she was too angry to cry.

"Jules, Jules, now calm down, calm down..." He soothed, trying in earnest to grab her hand again in his. "Listen, I was only thinking about how great we are together, a baby would change that..." He tried to explain his reasoning without sounding like a jerk but he was doing a poor job at it. "I mean, no more vacations, we couldn't just take off for a weekend whenever we like, no more romantic dinners and nights alone... No more sleep for the next three or four years... I mean, Come on, I'm only 25 years old..." He seemed to really dislike the idea before he continued. "If we give the baby up for adoption, we get our lives back... It will be as if it never happened... Then in a few years we try again..." Scooter promised, a smile on his face. Julie stood from the table, knocking her chair over in the process.

"Scott Francis Vanderbilt, how dare you!" Julie yelled at the top of her lungs so everyone in the cafe stopped to look at her. "How could you think I would give up my first child to go on vacations with you! Is this what you called me here for?" She yelled. He tried to get her to calm down and sit down but it was no use as she continued on her rampage.

"No, I will not sit down. How dare you... I never want to see you again, Scooter. I'll raise this baby on my own." Julie said low and threatening before collecting her coat and purse before storming out of the cafe.

"Julie wait!" Scooter tried to call out to her but she was out the door by then. He sat down and put his head in his hands, a sigh of frustration escaping his lips. Adam walked over then with his poorly made coffee and sat it on the table. Scooter looked up at him.

"What are you looking at traitor..." Scooter sneered, standing to collect his coat from the back of the chair.

"Nothing, someone that didn't know what a good thing he had..." Adam questioned. Scooter looked back at him.

"Just cause I don't want to be a father does not make me a bad guy. I have my priorities straight and I love Julie." He defended.

"If you loved her so much you'd love her with or without a child." Adam countered.

"What would you know about it, loser..." Scooter challenged.

"More than you ever will..." Adam said before he poured Scooters coffee over his head. Clumps of sugar lodged in his hair as it dripped down his face.

"Boss, I got to leave for a minute..." Adam called as the manager came out of the office. Adam grabbed his jacket to run after Julie as Scooter finally got himself together.

"You'll regret this Adam Banks!" He warned before Adam was out the door.

A knock on the door caused Connie to stop the water as it flowed from the tap. She looked to the clock and saw it was almost 11. It must be Guy, Connie thought with a smile on her lips. Robbie was also standing to see who was at the door when Connie opened it to Guy.

"Hey, is it a good time?" He asked, looking to Connie's half filled sink of dishes.

"Yeah, yeah..." She promised, backing up to let him in.

"Daddy!" Robbie yelled before running for Guy's leg. Guy quickly caught him and picked him up.

"Hey, kid. Were you good for your mom last night?" He asked carrying Robbie into the living room. Connie watched as they interacted before restarting her job on the dishes.

"Yep, I even let her sleep in..." Robbie nodded before Connie laughed. Guy looked over to her for a response.

"Yeah, he let me sleep until 7:30... Really sleeping in... I guess that's what I get for having him at my Grandparents... They're up at 5 every morning." She laughed. Guy laughed too before Robbie pulled him to watch cartoons with him. The two of them sat on the floor in front of the TV, their backs resting against the couch. Guy had been here every day this week, especially on his days off. Connie watched them while she finished the dishes and by the time she was done Robbie was settled under Guy's outstretched arm. She turned off the faucet and came to sit in the chair next to them, curling her feet up underneath her.

"Mommy, you have to sit down here with us too..." Robbie whined before Connie sled to the floor and sat next to Guy. Robbie seemed satisfied for the minute and returned to watching the cartoons. Guy looked over at her for a minute before looking back at the TV. There was comfortable silence before Connie inched closer. Guy pretended not to notice but remained looking forward. He cleared his throat quickly before turning a little to look at her.

"So, I haven't seen you out much... Are you still working?" He asked, not really wanting to elaborate in front of Robbie. Connie looked down.

"Yeah, I'm um.. I'm doing the book keeping now for the club. Jake's been real good about everything." She nodded.

"Oh, so you're not..." It took Guy a minute to find the right word, "Dancing anymore?" He finally concluded. Connie shook her head.

"Nah, that night was my last... I haven't danced in months..." She said looking to Robbie who was still engrossed in his cartoon. Guy nodded slightly.

"I'm sorry about that too... I had a nice dinner planned and everything and when you didn't show I just couldn't handle it. I also ran into that old club owner who was here giving you bs that one time. He's pretty sick I guess, still didn't stop him from being a creep to the grocery girl." Guy shook his head. Connie's mind went into overdrive. _Marc was sick? Did he give this to her? She'd had sex with him but not for a while before she left_. Then she thought back to the night that was still blurry to her. She had definitely done some drugs that night, it was possible she slept with him too... She didn't want to think about it. It was in the past. Her future was sitting in front of her. She looked down at the scars on her arms before looking back up at Guy.

"He's always like that. That's mostly why I left." She said with a nod. Guy nodded too,

"So, no more dancing... Book keeping now? How's that going?" He laughed. She laughed too,

"Okay, I was pretty good at math in high school. I'm getting by." She smiled.

"Well hey, if you ever need help just give me a call, I'm just down the street at the diner most nights." He laughed. She smiled, rubbing shoulders with him before resting against him. Another silence fell over the room but neither Connie nor Guy minded as Robbie continued to watch his cartoons.


	25. Chapter 25

The mid day sun was just reaching the pillow resting over Fulton's head when Tammy reached out to gently tickle his side. He awoke with a startle and looked to the other occupant of the bed as she tried to stiffen a laugh behind the blankets.

"Tammy..." He warned before pouncing on her and beginning to tickle her without abandonment. Tammy giggled outloud, nearly falling off the bed to escape his hands before he pulled her back to him.

"Where you think you're going..." He laughed into her ear as she pleaded with him to stop.

"Fulton, I.. I didn't mean it... you win..." She breathed out in between laughs. He laughed then too and kissed her soundly. She giggled into the kiss but soon fell into it and kissed him back. They were just about to start making love again when the alarm went off. Tammy looked at the thing with distain while Fulton groaned, reaching over to turn it off. It was 11 am apparently. They had spent the whole morning in bed.

"What's that for?" Tammy asked, as Fulton got out of bed to find some clothes. She sat up, holding the blankets to her chest.

"That means I have to go to work..." He said, collecting their clothes from the night before that lay all over the floor.

"Do you have to?" She asked as seductively as she could muster considering she was still laughing a bit. Fulton nodded.

"Yeah, I do. I was out for a couple of days when you had your accident and ever since then my boss has been ready to fire me for even being late. It was lucky I was on vacation last week." He mumbled. Tammy pouted slightly.

"When will you be home?" She asked, liking the sound of him coming home to her.

"The concert tonight lets out at 11, if they do an encore probably 11:30... I should be home no later than 12:30" He said collecting clothes for a shower. She sighed dramatically,

"If you must..." She said with little effort. He leaned over her and kissed her on the lips.

"I love you..." He said trying to get her to look at him. She couldn't keep the smile off her lips and she turned back to him and kissed him back.

"I love you more." She playfully remarked before getting up and finding one of his shirts. "I'm going to make your lunch." She said finding the pants she had worn the night before and slipping them on under his shirt. He smiled, playfully tapping her butt as she exited room. He could get used to this.

Belle Montgomery silently finished packing her bag as it sat on the hospital bed open. Dean was sitting in the corner chair, his hands folder together against his lips. He looked to be deep in thought, she wondered what he was thinking about when she zipped up her shoulder bag and startled him into alertness. He seemed to forget about what he was thinking and stood to take the bag for her. The nurse was supposed to be back any minute with a wheel chair, even though Belle insisted she didn't need one, the terrible day nurse had insisted she use one to exit the hospital, it was hospital policy after all. The reporters were going to think she was worse off than she really was, Belle had argued. She sat on the edge of the bed waiting when her Father came in through the door.

"You two ready for the circus waiting out front?" He asked, seemly just having gone through it himself. He dusted off his jacket and straightened his already perfect hair. Belle nodded slightly, looking to Portman with questioning eyes.

"Yeah, no problem." Portman said nonchalantly, throwing the pink duffle bag over his shoulder. Belle had to stiffen a laugh at how ridiculous he looked carrying the thing but he had said he wanted to.

"Good, we need to really make them believe you two were together this whole time." He emphasized with his hands before the door opened to the nurse began bringing in a wheel chair. Belle groaned at the stupidness of it but got in either way. The nurse was going to wheel her down to the car but Portman took over.

"I got it, ma'am." He said taking the handles in his hands. Belle reached over her shoulder for a moment to touch his hand without turning back to look at him. It was reassuring, he thought, as his insides began to knot. He hated public things, not acting like an idiot on the ice but when they actually had to hear him talk. He always came off sounding like a moron. Even with the Ducks, Fulton could tell you, Portman had spent the hour before in a bathroom throwing up. He hoped he could just keep it down today, she was counting on him.

"Ready?" Her Father asked, opening the door for them.

"Ready..." Belle said with a nod of her head. Dean only nodded before pushing the chair through the door. The sixth floor seemed pretty empty as they left. _Guess people weren't having babies today,_ Portman thought as they made it to the elevator. Her Father's eyes were watching him as they boarded and began to descend. He cleared his throat and straightened himself trying to appear calm.

"Just so we're all on the same page here, don't talk about Todd or that girl from a few days ago. The media wants to show a divide between you two. If asked, Todd is happy for you. I've already taken care of him to say the same." Mr. Montgomery said, watching the elevator numbers move.

"What's the name of that girl anyways?" He asked looking to Dean. Dean cleared his throat,

"Ashlee... Ashlee Banks." He said thinking of what he could possibly ever say to that girl to make things okay between them. He had loved her, he really had but this was bigger than that and he needed Belle, she made him want to be a better person.

"I'll have to send someone over to talk to her too." Mr. Montgomery nodded before the elevator doors opened again and they were walking through the main lobby. The camera flashes started even before they reached the main door. Belle instinctively covered her eyes to avoid the flash against an already alien sun she hadn't seen in days from her hospital room. The main doors swung open and it was like a frenzy as reporters scooped in on both sides. Dean held tight to Belle's chair as they made their way through.

"Ms. Montgomery, what does your fiancé have to say about all this?" One reporter yelled.

"Senator Montgomery, how does this scandal affect your bid for re-election?" Another reporter asked. Mr. Montgomery stopped in the center of the walk way to answer some questions. Belle seemed to be hiding in her seat, evidently she too, did not like public speaking.

"I don't think it will affect my re-election at all. Have a heart people, these two kids are in love and they made a mistake. Things happen and unfortunately if people want someone to blame, they should blame me for not allowing them to be together from the start. Belle was only trying to do what her family wanted but that's all changed now. My wife and I are behind her 100% in her choices." He finished, taking her hand in his. She tried to smile up at him but the sun was still blinding her.

"Belle, how did you and Mr. Portman meet?" Another reporter asked. Belle froze for a minute, trying to think of something to say when Portman cut it. _He was good at lying so why not make good use of his talent_, he thought.

"We met at a party. The college I used to attend had a sorority party and Belle just happened to be there. We immediately knew we wanted to be together." He said, telling the truth but spinning it. He would even go a step further, he thought, kneeling down next to her, to look at her. "The minute I saw her, I just fell in love." He said quietly, more to her than to anyone else. Belle's breathe caught in her throat as their eyes met. _He didn't look like he was lying but he had to be lying_, she thought, continuing to stare at him until he got up. The whole crowd seemed to quiet at their obvious connection.

"Just one more question..." Mr. Montgomery said, looking to the crowd while Portman righted himself behind her chair. Belle was still in daze.

"Ms. Montgomery, how far along are you in your pregnancy?" Another reporter asked. Belle looked to him, still wondering the way Portman had looked at her but smiled lightly, touching her stomach.

"I just hit my 16th week." She smiled, touching her small bump that had been appearing these last few days. Portman reached over to cover her hand as well and many photographers got that photo. _It would be front page tomorrow morning_, Dean thought _let the ridicule begin_. Belle laced her fingers with his, silently wishing he would actually feel the way she felt about him.

"That's all, we need to get Belle home." Mr. Montgomery said leading them to the car that waited just a few feet away. Belle let go of Portman's hand as they made it to the car and he helped her in the back seat before getting in himself. An orderly came to collect the chair and they were off in Mr. Montgomery's black SUV. Belle still seemed nervous next to him, so Portman took her hand in his. Little did he know, he was the reason she was so nervous. She wanted this to work. She wanted it to be more than the money for him. Looking at their hands she wondered if she could convince him of that. Then she thought about Todd. Sweet loving Todd that said he'd be there when all this was over, whether she chose him or not. She didn't know what to do.

Adam found Julie on the steps of their apartment building, crying her eyes out. She didn't protest when he wrapped his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder.

"He's a jerk, Julie. There's nothing you could have said to change his mind." Adam tried to calm her down. She only nodded, still crying as hard as she could into his arm but she let out a surprised yelp a moment later.

"What, What's wrong?" Adam said pushing her back to look at her face. She had a look of astonishment on it. "Jules, you're scaring me... Is it the baby?" He asked, looking to her stomach. Julie's face seemed to lighten at the mention of the baby and she looked into his eyes.

"Adam, the baby moved..." She said with a smile beginning to cross her face. He looked down again, for all his knowledge he had none when it came to babies but if she said it moved than it moved.

"Here... Feel..." She said so excited she needed to share it with someone else. She grabbed his hand quickly before he could protest and placed it on her swollen abdomen. He was going to pull back when he felt a nudge against his hand.

"Oh my gosh... What was that?" He asked, moving his hand slightly to feel it again. She laughed, her hand still covering his.

"I think it's a foot..." She exclaimed, feeling the baby move inside her. They sat there together feeling the baby nudge at her stomach for a few minutes before it stopped. Julie looked up at Adam and the smile on his face and couldn't help but be overcome with joy.

"Adam..." She breathed out before he cupped her face with his other hand and kissed her softly. It was a gently kiss, one Julie needed right now. Adam didn't force it any further but when he pulled back, he rested their heads together.

"Julie, I've never felt anything so amazing in my life." He said looking down at their interlaced hands on her stomach. She nodded in agreement.

"It felt like butterflies..." She responded, looking down as well. They sat there for a minute just contemplating what had just happened before she slowly pulled away.

"I need to go clean up my face. I must look like a mess." She said beginning to stand. He helped her up.

"Yeah, I.. I need to get back to the shop. I left the boss hanging with kind of a mess where I dumped coffee on Scooter..." He said looking down.

"You what?" She said, trying not to smile. He laughed, a slight upturn of his lips.

"Yeah, I couldn't help myself." He mumbled. Julie actually laughed before realizing they were standing with both their hands laced together. She quickly dropped them.

"I should go, I'll see you later." She said, turning to walk into the building. He nodded,

"Yeah, I'll call when I'm leaving work, see if you're around." He said quickly backing down the stairs. He almost fell in his attempt to not take his eyes off of her. She nodded before disappearing into the building. Adam had to fight the urge to not jump for joy as he ran back to the coffee shop. It was a definite start, he thought.

"So you'll call when you get there?" Tammy asked, kissing Fulton again as he tried to get out the door. He laughed,

"If you want, yeah. I'll call. I'll call every hour if you want..." He mumbled as she kissed him again.

"I want." She said with a laugh as he finally made it out the door.

"I love you..." She called as he headed down the stairs.

"I love you too..." He called back, now rushing to get to work on time. Tammy smiled to herself, shutting the door to the apartment and looking around. _There was definitely need for a woman around here_... She thought to herself looking at the counter top loaded with pizza boxes and beer cans on the coffee table... _Men were such pigs_... She moved to walk towards the kitchen when the creak of Charlie's door opening caught her attention. The girl from last night stood in the hall like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Sorry, I didn't know anyone was home..." She mumbled, turning to go back in Charlie's room before Tammy spoke.

"No, it's just me... I don't think we've met yet, I'm Tammy Duncan." She said extending her hand out as she approached the girl. Linda turned back around and nervously extended her hand,

"Linda... Linda Larkin...umm... Actually Linda Malloy still..." Tammy was a bit confused but shook her hand with ease.

"Just Linda then..." Tammy smiled as the girl tried to smile back. "I'm Fulton's girlfriend, I played hockey with all of them when we were 14." Linda nodded, taking her hand back and wrapping her arms around herself.

"Well, I was just gonna clean the living room and make some lunch. You're welcome to join me..." Tammy said, turning on her heels and making her way to the kitchen. Linda hesitated a moment before following the unusually upbeat girl to the kitchen.

"Tammy Duncan... As in the Tammy Duncan?" Linda asked coming to sit at the counter as Tammy made faces at the dishes in the sink and the mold growing on them.

"Yeah, _the_ Tammy Duncan..." She said, pulling a fork free from its prison against a plate of old food_. Did they ever clean? _She thought, pulling the garbage can out from under the cabinet and beginning to throw things out. _She'd buy them new plates if she had to_.

"So you have a gold medal and everything..." Linda asked, now really interested in talking with her.

"Yep... It's in one of my bags... I can go look for it if you want to see it..." Tammy offered. Linda declined,

"No, I'll see it someday... I wouldn't want you to go through all that trouble for me." Linda assured before remembering she'd need to go home at some point. _Why did home bother her so much lately?_ She shook the feeling and continued her conversation with Tammy.

"So Fulton? Wow, I don't think I've ever seen him with a girl... Like a serious girl at least." Linda wondered. Tammy smiled to herself,

"That's because he's always been in love with me." She said, still smiling to herself. Linda nodded,

"Yeah, I guess so... Do you need help?" Linda asked, seeing Tammy make another face as she opened the microwave.

"Yeah, I'm not too good at this cleaning thing, I really haven't done a whole lot of it lately and I'm pretty sure if I continue on I'll have to buy a new apartment for them. Don't they ever clean?" Tammy asked with distain. Linda couldn't help but laugh.

"They do if their Mom's are coming, other than that, I haven't seen one of them pick up a sponge in years." They shared a laugh before Linda showed her where the cleaning stuff should be.

Guy walked into the diner to the lunch rush as usual. Casey was waiting on a table when she saw him come in.

"Thank god, It's just been me and Les all morning. Can one of you please help on the floor?" Guy looked at her with confusion, he was a cook, not a server.

"Guess, Averman's coming out to help you..." Guy said with a smile. Casey nodded before going back to filling coffee at the counter. The kitchen was hot that day, when he walked in and put his apron on.

"Yo Dude, Casey needs you on the floor." Guy said to Averman who was flipping a burger in the air. He nodded, handing the spatula over the Guy before taking off his hair net and grabbing a server's apron. He was just opening the kitchen door when she walked in. Surrounded by her friends, Ashlee Banks made her way over to the corner booth and sat down. Her friends laughing at a joke one of them had said. Casey came up next to him.

"Good, help that table that just came in." She said, grabbing an order from the window. Averman nodded, grabbing an order pad and pen from the register and making his way over to them. The walk over seemed to take forever as the girls continued to talk. He'd avoided situations like this his whole life. In high school he couldn't talk to girls because they were always in groups like this one. He cleared his throat as he stepped in front of the table.

"Hello, my name is Les, I'll be taking care of you today. Our soup is Chicken Noodle and our special is a BLT with fries. Can I start you off with drinks?" He asked, looking quickly down at his order pad. The one girl in the back of the booth seemed to snicker before they started ordering drinks. Ashlee was last,

"Lemonade, please..." She didn't even acknowledge that she knew him, besides the slight hold on eye contact before she returned to the conversation with her friends. He walked away quickly, going to get their drinks behind the counter. _So what if she didn't want to tell her friends they knew each other_, he thought, filling the last glass. _He's had that happen before_. He quickly placed all the drinks on a server's tray and lifted it on his shoulder. _He could do this_, he thought with confidence as he made his way over to the table. The girls were still snickering and talking low as he approached so he didn't see the small child dart out of the booth in front of him and he tripped over the kid, spilling the drinks all over himself and the floor as he went face first into the tray. The whole table of girls burst out laughing besides Ashlee who looked on like she wanted to help him but stayed where she was. Averman quickly fixed his glasses and got helped up by the Mother of the child that had tripped him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see him jump out of the booth." She tried to apologize but Averman just nodded, picking up the tray and glasses and putting them on the counter. His glasses were on his face wrong and he had fruit punch down the front of his white shirt. She continued to apologize until Averman turned and walked back into the kitchen.

"I've had enough, it's your turn..." He said to Guy before he looked up at him and laughed. Averman held his hand up for him to stop and took the spatula and another hair net. Could this day get any worse, he thought, returning to flipping another burger.

Charlie arrived at work by 11 and quickly rushed to his desk, shutting the door behind him. He hoped everyone would just leave him alone like they'd been doing the past few days since he screamed at Dave from accounting in the middle of the cubicles. He took his jacket off and sat down to turn on his computer when his door opened.

"I told you not to bother me..." He warned of his secretary. It wasn't his secretary that entered the door but Mrs. Taylor, the boss's wife.

"Is that any way to greet me?" Charlie sat straighter in his chair when she entered the room.

"I'm sorry Ma'am. Just got a lot on my mind today." He stated, looking down at his desk to avoid eye contact with her. He knew what she was here for and in the past it would have been beneficial to both of them but not today. Not after watching the woman he should have married suffer the way she had the past few weeks. She came around the desk, seductively running her hand over his shoulders.

"Really, do tell... I do love gossip." She inquired, sitting on his desk in front of him. She was hard to ignore with her pencil skirt pulled up passed her knees. Charlie tried to look away.

"Personal stuff I don't really feel like discussing if you don't mind." He said, standing quickly when her foot wandered up his thigh.

"What's gotten into you today?" She asked, watching him pace the room. He looked down at the floor as he paced. How did he get out of this?

"Listen Rita, is it possible to do this another day... I'm just not myself today and I don't think it would be good for either of us." He said looking to her finally, trying to play on her feelings for him. She had to have some, right? To be sleeping with him. She seemed to buy the whole story and jumped down from the desk, putting her shoe back on.

"Fine, I'll just go find someone else to play with today..." She purred into his ear as she passed him.

"Oh but Charlie, don't think you can simply blow me off again... I'll be back and if I'm not pleased my husband will be accidently finding out about us..." She said with a hint of a smirk before she left his office. Great, he thought, he was going to get fired.

The apartment was almost spotless when Tammy Duncan re-entered the kitchen to Linda finishing up the dishes from the sink. She silently tied the fourth bag of garbage and sat it by the door as she watched Linda put away some sharp knives in the butcher block on top of the island.

"There, all clean. Now we can watch daytime TV." Tammy joked, Linda laughing a little with her before the door bell rang, they both stopped and looked to the door.

"Wonder who that could be?" Tammy asked, walking out of the kitchen and into the hall. Linda felt a chill go up her spine as Tammy approached the door.

"Tammy, don't open the door..." Linda said too low for Tammy to hear as she reached the door. Leaving the chain latched, Tammy opened the door just slightly to see who it was at their door. A man stood outside the door, well dressed and looking to be in a hurry, he paced back and forth when Tammy looked at him.

"Hello, can I help you?" Tammy asked as sweet as possible. The man grinned at her but the smile made her feel uneasy before he spoke.

"Yes, I'm here to collect my fiancé, Linda." He said with a sophisticated tone. Tammy braced her foot against the back of the door, knowing something wasn't quite right about this man.

"I'm sorry, she's not here..." Tammy lied convincingly enough. Linda behind her, ducked behind a wall.

"No, her cars parked downstairs." He seemed to rebuff. Tammy shrugged her shoulders,

"I don't know... Maybe Charlie took her out?" Tammy suggested, studying his body build, _could she hold him off?_ She wasn't sure. He turned away like he was going to leave but instead lunged at the door. Tammy pushed her whole body into the door but he was so much stronger than she had anticipated and she was knocked back easily. The chain broke on the door as Tammy landed on her behind on the hall way floor. Tyler Larkin looked down at her with cold angry eyes.

"I'm gonna ask again and you better not lie to me... Where is Linda?" He asked, grabbing a fist full of her hair. Tammy cried out at the tug from her scalp.

"I'm right here..." Linda called out, steeping out of the kitchen into the hall. She was shaking visibly as she approached him, her hands up in surrender. He let go of Tammy and she relaxed against the floor, grabbing at her hair as Linda stepped closer.

"Come on, Tyler, let's just go home..." She said, looking up into his eyes. It was in that moment that she knew. The cold hatred filled eyes that she watched as he violated her weeks before, rested in the face of that of her fiancé's. She gasped, looking at him really for the first time. Tyler knew the instant she reacted that she had figured it out. He had tried to hide it. Covered up the scratches she had given him with shirts and coats but she still had figured it out.

"You just couldn't leave it alone, could you?" He asked, grabbing her by the hair now as she reacted in panic."You just couldn't chuck it up to a bad neighborhood?" _Oh god, don't let him do it again_! She kept repeating in her head as her eyes remained locked with his. Tammy had regained some composer at that point and grabbed his arm as he swung back to hit Linda in the face. She bit him hard as he let go of Linda, she slumped to the floor against the nearest wall, curling up on herself and realizing everything she'd known the past few months was now a lie. Tyler manager to throw Tammy off, hitting her head against the door before she fell to the ground against it.

"You stupid bitch." Tyler swore, retrieving a gun from the inside of his jacket. He was a private investigator for a living so no one questioned his concealed carry. He pointed the gun at Tammy as she seemed to be disoriented from the blow to the head.

"Someone's got to teach you your place..." He growled going for Tammy and pulling her up by her hair. Linda watched helplessly as Tyler threw Tammy on the floor and pointed the gun at her. He ripped Fulton's shirt nearly off of her as she finally was coming to enough to fight back.

"No, no!" She yelled, kicking at him with her skater legs, while holding her shirt together. She managed to kick the gun across the room to under the sofa.

"Come on, be a good girl..." He said maliciously. Tammy poked him in the eye to which he recoiled and back handed her across the face. She cried out, gripping her cheek, allowing him to continue his assault on her clothes. Adam's hockey stick lay just out of her reach as she reached above her to get a grip on it. Linda closed her eyes as tight as she could and listened to Tammy struggle against him, wishing it wasn't happening. The door to the apartment had been slammed shut but Linda knew no one was coming to help them. Quickly looking in the direction of Tammy, she saw her get in another scratch to Tyler's face, earning her a choke hold as Tyler struggled to subdue her enough to get her clothes off. Tammy gagged, her face turning blue and that's when Linda knew she couldn't let what happened to her happen to this girl. Tammy had been nothing but kind to her. Reaching for the first thing she could find, Linda pulled a knife from the set she'd just washed on the counter and moved towards Tyler. Tammy was starting to lose consciousness. _At least she wouldn't be awake when he did whatever he was going to do to her_, she thought, looking into the cold eyes of the man hovering above her. _I'm sorry Fulton, I wasn't stronger_, she thought, a single tear slipping from her eye. She used her last bit of energy to spit in his face before she felt the darkness coming. Just when she thought she was done, she felt his hands loosen and slack, giving her the much needed breathe her body craved. She gasped, feeling the weight of her assailant fall on top of her. He wasn't moving, so she pushed as hard as she could and he fell to the ground next to her, his eyes straining with pain. Looking down at his convulsing form as she scrambled to get away before finally realized her abdomen and down her jeans was covered in blood. It wasn't hers so it must have been his. Grabbing Adam's hockey stick quickly she surveyed the situation and looked up to an almost motionless Linda and the bloody knife she had gripped in her hand. _What just happened?_ Tammy thought silently before her head got very light and she passed out against the floor hitting her head much like she had a few weeks ago on the ice. Adam's hockey stick lay abandoned next to her.


	26. Chapter 26

Fulton had tried to call Tammy's phone ten times since he had arrived at the arena and she still had not picked up the phone. He was starting to worry but thought better of it, thinking that she probably left her phone in the bedroom or something. _He couldn't worry about her all the time,_ he thought picking up the phone again to dial her number. She had said she wanted him to call, why was she not picking up.

"Reed, the doors are opening in 10." One of the other security guards let him know from the doorway. Fulton nodded, putting on his yellow security jacket and switching the phone to other ear as it rang. _Where is she?_ He thought, kicking himself for ever leaving her side. He silently kicked the desk in his office when her phone went to her voicemail for the eleventh time. He'd have to call her later, he thought, hanging up the phone and putting it in his pocket.

"Damn it, Tammy, why are you not picking up the phone..." He groaned before his cell phone started to ring. He quickly pulled it from his pocket, not even looking at the caller Id

"It's about time, I thought you left me..." He joked hopefully, smiling to himself.

"No, Fulton. It's Averman. Something's going on at the apartment. I think you should come home now... They won't let me in but something's happened." Averman said quietly. Fulton had his jacket and backpack on before he changed the ear he had the phone on to hold it to his shoulder.

"Averman what's going on? Is she okay?" He asked. Averman seemed to grumble on the other end of the line in confusion.

"Just come quickly. I'm not really sure what's going on." He said hanging up before Fulton could ask any more questions. Fulton nearly crushed his phone as he left the office in a hurry, not even shutting the door.

Averman silently closed the phone as he looked back on the scene in front of him. The police cars lined the street in both directions, two ambulances parked in front of the steps with their lights on and every occupant of the building stood on the sidewalk looking confused as to why they had been ushered from the apartment building.

"Did you set the place on fire Tammy?" Averman asked himself, looking to the top floor for smoke. There was none to be seen but that didn't mean they hadn't already put it out before he arrived. He shook his head at the circus going on in front of him.

Old Lady Johnson was having a go at the closest officer to her, yelling about her heart medication and how she had been unable to grab it before she was asked to leave her apartment. She was threatening to call the mayor for such treatment.

Connie and Julie sat on the steps, Robbie sitting between them, looking to Old Lady Johnson with playful expressions. Robbie was playing with an action figure, making it do flips off each step and making zooming noises. Averman could still not believe Guy and Connie were parents. When Guy had told them all the other morning that he was a Father, Averman had nearly choked on his breakfast cereal. With Robbie right there in front of him, there was no denying that kid was Guy's. The only difference was the eyes but otherwise Guy had a miniature clone in Robbie. The police seemed to be getting ready for something but they weren't telling him or anyone anything. He had a feeling it was the top floor they were here for, everyone else that would be home at this time was standing outside. He tried to rack his brain as to what could have happened. _It was only Tammy home, right_? He thought with confusion, trying to remember if anyone else was still home when he left. Charlie had been but he knew Charlie needed to be to work today at some point. looking down, the pink stains on his shirt were the least of his worries when Charlie himself walked from down the street from where he'd parked his car.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked, looking confused and worried as he searched the crowd for Linda. When he didn't see her he looked to Averman for answers.

"I don't know. I just got here myself. Dude, something happened in the apartment..." He said turning to Charlie to see if he knew anything. Charlie immediately tensed, again looking for Linda_. It was stupid of him to leave her alone. Who knows what could have happened. She had an apartment full on knives and razors, not that he thought she was suicidal but she hadn't been right since the attack. _

"What happened?" Charlie asked again, not paying attention to Averman's questioning eyes. Averman seemed to shrug,

"Well at first I thought Tammy set the place on fire but there's no fire trucks here..." Averman concluded. "Then I thought she might have tripped and fell." Averman had a running list of things that had gone though his mind when Charlie cut him off.

"Where is Tammy, anyway?" Charlie asked, looking around now for her. She was nowhere in sight either. _What the hell was going on?_ He thought, fear now rising in his veins. Something wasn't right about this whole situation.

"I just told you, I don't know anything. I called Fulton to come home, though. If she set anything of mine on fire... Man..." He joked, trying to lighten the mood and motioning to his phone before shaking his fist. Charlie's heart just about stopped when the police brought out a body covered in a sheet. The entire crowd gasped in shock as it was lowered down the steps by the coroner's office. The red blood seeping through the cotton quickly, creating a pool of blood at the center. Charlie rushed forward with Averman following closely at his heels only to be stopped with the police. If that was either Linda or Tammy, Charlie would go through this man to get to them, no questions asked.

"I live on the third floor... Who is that? Is that my friend?" He heard Averman ask, his heart in his throat.

"I can't tell you that, sir. We're still trying to put the pieces together ourselves." The officer said, holding back Charlie from going any further.

"Bullshit, I need to know if they're okay?" Charlie yelled, pushing against his hand again. The cop pushed him back,

"Stay back or I'll have to arrest you." The office said, holding his arm out in a stop motion. Charlie relented only for a minute to see that they were now bringing another stretcher out, this one had Tammy Duncan strapped to it, a breathing mask covering part of her face, her eyes closed. Fulton was going to kill him, Charlie decided in one moment. Whatever had happened, Tammy had been hurt. Her blonde hair had spots of blood in it where Tyler had pulled too hard on the roots and ripped pieces from her scalp. Her arms were covered in blood and she had blood smeared on her face, where Linda had tried to revive her. He couldn't tell what blood was hers and what wasn't as Averman gasped before they brought her down the steps, one at a time.

"Tammy?!" Connie called out, now standing off to the side at the instructions of the police. Julie held her up as she cried out, confusion marking her face before she looked to Charlie and Averman. Tammy seemed to be knocked out or at least drugged heavily as they loaded her into the awaiting ambulance closest to the door.

"Please, sir. That's our friend, can you please just let us see her before they take her to the hospital?" Averman asked as they loaded her up in the ambulance. The officer seemed to faulter, hearing Connie cry out again behind him and the guys standing in front of him still pushing forward. He was young and seemed like this might have been his first violent crime scene. Charlie moved forward again, the police office stopping him with uncertain eyes. Charlie was positive he could take him if need be but he didn't feel like getting arrested today.

"Please, her boyfriend is going to be here any minute. Can we please just make sure she's okay?" Averman asked again. The officer looked to the paramedics, who seemed to nod at him, as they continued to work on her.

"Okay go." He said, allowing Charlie and Averman in to see her. Averman immediately crawled into the ambulance next to her on the floor. She seemed to be coming around slightly confused at her surroundings. She looked up at him, finally realizing who it was.

"Ave, where's Fulton?" She asked, her throat still raspy from getting choked. She struggled to talk clearly. Averman took her hand in his.

"He's coming. I called him." Averman said looking her over with worry. The sheet was tucked up under her arms so he couldn't tell what was injured but the blood seemed to be everywhere. She shook her head at his worried eyes as they looked at the blood.

"What happened?" He asked, looking back to her face.

"Not my blood..." She mumbled, her hand shaking in his. "It's not my blood." She repeated, scared of what she had seen. Charlie was watching from the ground behind the ambulance when the last of the police emerged from the apartment building pushing a hand cuffed Linda in front of them, her hands and clothes also covered in blood, her eyes red from tears. She was visibly shaking with fear as she tried to hide her face from the people standing around.

"Linda!" Charlie cried out. Her eyes looked up to him in acknowledgement and she began to cry. He couldn't tell if they were happy tears to see him or remorseful tears as she looked to Tammy in the ambulance.

"Charlie." She cried as they pushed her along to the awaiting cop car. He chased after her, being blocked by the cop from before again. He was really pissing him off today. He growled under his breath as Linda was put into a cop car and taken away, the lights flashing as they went.

"Where are you taking her?" Charlie asked the police officer in front of him.

"She'll be booked downtown. You're welcome to meet her there." The office said with a hint of annoyance in his voice as this man. The ambulance carrying the body of whoever it was had already left so Charlie told Averman that he was going to the police station with Linda before he took off to his car down the street. Connie had made her way over to the ambulance with Tammy by then as they allowed all the residences besides the top floor back into the apartment building.

"Tams, are you okay?" She asked, her voice shaking with emotion and fear. Tammy seemed to nod, the pain medication they had given her kicking in. The paramedic appeared in the back door,

"We have to get her checked out at the hospital. Only one can ride..." He said looking to Averman and Connie. Averman looked down at his phone, wondering if he should call Fulton again.

"Her boyfriend is going to be here any second, can you just wait a couple more minutes?" He asked. As if on cue Fulton Reed came running down the block from where he'd parked the Explorer. He'd done 80 miles per hour to get there but it seemed like all the cops in the city were there anyways. Looking around he saw a few cops cars still parked to block the street off but the majority of the people were going back into the apartment. It was then he saw Julie and a little boy standing just outside the only ambulance still sitting on the block. The boy a spitting image of Guy, looked up at Julie with worried eyes. Fulton ran full speed for it, not even hearing the officer try to stop him.

"Tammy? Tammy?" He called out, his voice breaking with fear. She heard him through her fog of pain meds and tried to sit up to let him know where she was.

"Fulton..." She tried to call out, removing the breathing mask they had put back on her. Her voice just barely making a whisper.

"Fulton!" Averman called out for her as he appeared in the doorway behind the paramedic.

"Jesus Christ! Tammy!" He said, his voice freaking out with panic. He nearly plowed over the paramedic to get to her as Averman stepped out the back to the street to give them room. Connie moved out of the way quick. "Tammy, baby..." He whispered, taking her hand in his, a few tears falling from his eyes as he tried to figure out what happened. He looked over her body to the blood caked on her arms and the sheet that held her shirt together. She had bruises beginning to form on her neck and cheek. Her one eye was swollen and bruised but she looked up at him with tears in her eyes., one running down the side of her face.

"I thought I wasn't going to see you again." She whispered, touching his face. In the moments before Linda had stabbed Tyler, Tammy thought she was going to die. He choked on his response.

"You can't get rid of me that easy..." He mumbled, looking over her body again for more injuries. "What happened?" He asked the paramedic standing a few feet away. He hesitated with all these people around and the investigation going on but sighed at the worried look on Fulton's face.

"She was attacked. I didn't get the full story but it seems the guy showed up for the other girl and she tried to stop him. He attacked her and the other girl stabbed him with a kitchen knife." Fulton looked down at Tammy, his eyes filling with tears.

"I'm never going to leave you alone again." He whispered, kissing her forehead as she nodded off into sleep.

"We really need to go." The paramedic reminded them, looking to Tammy's sleeping form.

"Right, we'll follow behind..." Averman said, taking Fulton's keys from him. Connie hopped out of the ambulance and let them shut the doors before looking to Julie.

"Go, I'll watch Robbie." She said watching Connie run off with Averman for the Explorer. Julie sighed, picking Robbie up and carrying him back into the building.

"Where's mommy going? What's going on?" He asked, playing with her necklace.

"She's going to go see if her friend is okay?" Julie told him, making her way up the stairs.

"What happened to her?" He asked, looking up at Julie with questioning eyes.

"I'm not sure, kiddo." Julie asked making her way up the stairs. The police were still cleaning up the blood that had dripped in the hall when she made it to their door.

"Will she be okay?" Robbie asked. Julie nodded,

"I'm sure she will be." Julie reassured.

The police building was crowded when Charlie arrived there not ten minutes later. He saw Linda in a back office with a glass window front, it looked as if the officer with her was talking a bit harshly because she was looking down at her shoes with tears in her eyes and cowering away from him. Charlie's anger rose again.

"Can I help you?" The officer at the front counter asked him. Charlie nodded, gripping his lips together in a deep frown.

"That's my friend back there. I need to talk to her." He said motioning to Linda. The cop glanced over his shoulder and then back again, a slight grin on his face.

"Sorry, she's being booked for murder, only her lawyer is going to be able to see her today." He said, returning his eyes to his paperwork with a slight chuckle. Charlie looked back again to something being slammed down in front of her on the table. She cried out and turned her head in his direction. Their eyes seemed to meet for a minute and he mouthed to her not to say anything. She nodded only slightly before his eyes turned back to the cop in front of him.

"Her lawyer is on his way. You can't questioned her until he gets here, so I'd suggest you get your cop out of that room or I'll tell him everything I've seen when he gets here." Charlie threatened. The cop looked up at him with questioning eyes, spotting the cell phone in his hand ready to take pictures of what was going on if he didn't take him seriously. The cop grumbled before heading back to tell the other one to leave Linda alone, her lawyer was on the way. Charlie quickly dialed his former home number and let it ring for a minute, his patience growing thin.

"Gordon Bombay..." His voice filled the line before Charlie started talking,

"Coach, I need you at the police station right away."

"Are you in trouble? Is it one of the Ducks?" Gordon asked, the obvious sound of him shuffling around to get his coat on.

"Linda needs a lawyer..." He said, looking back at the cops coming out of the room with her.

"I'm on my way. Tell her not to say anything." He said before the line disconnected. Charlie shut the phone and watched as Linda silently cried from the chair they'd placed her in. He couldn't take care of her a few weeks ago but this he could help her with.

The sound of the ambulance sirens rang in Fulton's ear as they unloaded Tammy and wheeled her into the emergency room entrance. She was more alert now, the ride had woken her up. It seemed they had found her unconscious from what the EMT had said and had being trying to get her back around to tell the police what happened. She couldn't speak very well, the EMT said her vocal cords were probably bruised and her throat could be semi-crushed as she was having trouble breathing. She still had the breathing mask on but her hand reached for his as they moved down the hall into a room. They quickly transferred her to a bed and a doctor came in right away.

"I'm Doctor Wallis, Ms..."

"Duncan, Tammy Duncan." Fulton talked for her.

"Ms. Duncan. Right, so Ms. Duncan are you bleeding anywhere?" He said coming to stand next to the bed and look over her body. He lifted the sheet to her torn shirt and bra clad chest to see some scratches marking her skin. No blood was coming from these but her stomach and jeans were caked with dried blood.

"No, it's not my blood." She spoke very softly, looking down at her chest with tears. She looked up at Fulton with tearful eyes, afraid of what he would think of her body. He only gripped her hand tighter at the sight and vowed to murder whoever did this to her.

"Right, so what I'm going to need is some pictures for the police of your injuries and I'll need your clothes to give them as well. Okay? For their investigation." The Doctor asked, trying to be caring. Tammy nodded.

"I'll be right back with the police photographer, she's waiting in the lobby. I'll have you put your clothes in this bag and then put on a gown from that closet." He said, pulling a clear bag from the cabinet behind him and handing it to Fulton before motioning to the closet. He nodded, taking the bag and helping Tammy take the air mask off to help her sit up.

"Oh, just one more thing." The Doctor said coming back in and closing the door. "Was this a sexual assault?" He asked quietly right next to Tammy so Fulton could barely hear. Fulton's heart almost stopped in his chest awaiting her answer. She shook her head no as relieve flooded Fulton's senses.

"No, Linda stabbed him before he could." She again was quietly looking at the floor when she responded. The Doctor nodded, looking to Fulton with caring eyes.

"I'll be right back." He promised. Tammy broke out in tears when he left the room and Fulton came around the bed to where she'd sat up and took her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry..." She sobbed. "I... I couldn't get him to stop... I tried..." She trailed off as Fulton soothed her.

"Tammy, I love you. It wouldn't have mattered if it had been like that, I still would have loved you. I'm so glad Linda was there." He promised, looking at her face. She looked at him with her one good eye and nodded.

"I'm so lucky..." She whispered. "I owe my life to Linda. He was going to kill me." Tammy said burying her face in Fulton's shoulder. He quietly rubbed her head, knowing he would have to thank Linda himself for what she did but right now the girl in front of him needed him.

"I hit my head again..." She seemed to wonder out loud, touching her head. Fulton looked at it and rubbed it slightly, it looked like she might have reopened the few week old wound but it wasn't bleeding just swollen.

"Come on... Let's get you out of these clothes and at least a little cleaned up. It will make you feel better." Fulton said standing to help her undress. She nodded, standing on shaky legs. She wobbled a little as she took each of her shoes off and reached for her pants. She helped him take them off and put them in the bag as well. The blood had soaked through to her panties too, she was a little embarrassed when Fulton reached for those but let him push them off her hips and to the floor, where he picked them up and threw them in the bag too. She quickly took off what remained of the shirt.

"I'm sorry, your shirt got ruined... It was my favorite." She mumbled tossing it in the bag before finally taking off her bra and throwing that in there too. Fulton silently handed her a hospital gown and turned to close the bag and put it on the table. She put the gown on and tied the closing ties before sitting back on the bed.

"My head's pounding..." She whispered hoarsely, her voice still not quite right. He walked over to the bed and sat behind her pulling her into his arms. She leaned her head back against his chest burying her face in his shirt to cry before he placed a kiss on her forehead and they waited for the doctor. "All I could think about was you..." She mumbled, fresh tears coming to her eyes as he silently rubbed her arms with his hands. She tried to think back to all her memories of them and smiled, stumbling upon a memory she questioned.

"Fulton, did we ever go to a club with soap bubbles?" She asked, looking at him from her place on his chest. His eyes seemed to widen at her statement and for a minute she thought she had said something wrong.

"You remember?" He asked faintly. She nodded,

"It's hazy but yeah... and hiding in the closet at the arena... right?" She asked. He nodded slightly.

"Yeah, it happened... Tammy... You remember..." he whispered. It was like someone else's memories but she tried to concentrate as all the memories she had been sure were lost forever started to come into focus in her mind. The Olympics, the tour, Fulton, her Mother... It was all there. She didn't have time think too much into it as the door reopened and the doctor came back in with a female photographer in tow.

"We'll just need to take some photos of your injuries. I'm going to get you started on an IV and once the photos are taken I'll let you get cleaned up so we can figure out what's your blood and not." The Doctor said, nodding to the woman with the camera. Fulton stood next to her as the flashing of the camera started, beginning at her hairline and where the roots had been exposed. Fulton held her hand tightly, kicking himself for ever leaving for work today. She had said she didn't want him to go and he had went. He knew he had obligations to pay the bills and make a life for them but this is what he got for trying to take care of her. Maybe her Mother had been right in that he couldn't protect her and that being with him was only going to get her hurt. He kept his emotions on the inside and tried to smile at her when she looked up at him with tears in her eyes at her appearance. The lights finally stopped flashing and the woman thanked Tammy, letting her know someone would be by later to take her statement. Tammy only nodded, the Doctor coming back with a nurse.

"Okay, let's get you down to a private washroom and get you cleaned up." The Doctor said, helping Tammy out of the bed. Fulton helped her into a wheelchair and watched her leave before sitting heavily on the bed. He reached for his cell phone and looked for a number that Tammy had dialed once from his phone. After one ring the line picked up.

"Hello..." The male voice responded.

"Tommy, it's Fulton. Tammy's in the hospital, I think you should come." He said softly.

"Is she okay?" Tommy asked with concern in his voice.

"Yeah for now, just please come." Fulton said hanging up the phone quietly. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair before standing to look around the room. He needed to get out of there and think. Connie and Averman were on their way as well as Tommy, she'd have someone to hold her hand, even though he knew she'd only want him. It was better if he was gone when she came back. He couldn't even protect her in his own house, how was he going to keep her safe for the rest of her life? Walking to the door, he glanced back once before leaving the room.


	27. Chapter 27

The police station was cold and drafty as Charlie Conway wrapped his arms tighter against his chest in the waiting room area. The cop behind the counter stared him down but Charlie didn't care, he stared right back. This was absurd that they still even had Linda here. From what he had been told from Averman, who was at the hospital with Tammy, Linda should be released immediately. She was acting in defense of Tammy, never mind the fact that the man had raped her just weeks before. She was only trying to protect Tammy. He wanted to punch something, the anger boiling up inside him, but instead he readjusted his arms over his chest and gave his angry stare to the floor instead of the cop, who had went back to his work. Bombay had told him not to say anything more to anyone either, he wasn't sure what he was looking at for a case. Charlie grumbled under his breath about "idiots" and tried to remain calm but it was getting harder by the minute. When the doors to the meeting rooms opened and Bombay walked out, his suit jacket off and his face one of deep thought, Charlie stood immediately.

"What happened?" Charlie asked, rushing forward to meet his step-Father where he stood. Bombay looked at the man behind the counter staring at them and ushered Charlie towards the door quickly.

"Not here..." He mumbled leading him out the sliding glass doors and down the steps.

"Wait, what about Linda, we're just going to leave her here?" Charlie asked, confusion and anger marking his face. Bombay looked down at the ground.

"Listen, Charlie. Tyler Larkin was a pretty important man to these guys. The DA was his shooting buddy, so we're going to have our hands full." Bombay said a sigh of impeding work to some escaping his lips. Charlie's eyes bulged out of his head and he took a step back.

"Wait, so the asshole rapes Linda, leaves her for dead and then tried to rape Tammy and they want to send her to jail for stabbing him!" Charlie's voice yelled with outrage as he looked like he wanted to head back into the police station and beat the crap out of all of them. Bombay shook his head in understanding.

"I don't agree with it either but I was able to get a bail hearing for her next week." Bombay assured. Charlie's hands went to his head to pull at his hair.

"Next week, she has to stay here until then?" Charlie asked incredulously. Bombay nodded solemnly, he didn't like the answer anymore than Charlie did but there was nothing short of breaking her out that they could do about it.

"The DA is blocking me at every turn. He wants blood." Bombay said, reaching out to put his hand on Charlie's shoulder. Charlie almost brushed it off considering how mad he was but he let the shorter man try to comfort him with a fatherly gesture.

"Don't worry. We've got Tammy's testimony once she's able to give it and we've got the evidence from the first rape. We're going to win this." Bombay assured. Charlie tried to nod but looked back at the building instead.

"When can I see her?" Charlie asked, not looking to Bombay's face for the answer. He shook his head,

"Not until after the bail hearing." Bombay said dejected, he knew Charlie would not be happy with that. Charlie nearly crushed his cell phone in his hand before closing his eyes and flaring his nostrils in rage. Bombay again patted him on the shoulder but Charlie brushed it off.

"I got to go. I can't be here..." Charlie said regaining some composure and turning to walk down the street to his car.

"Charlie!" Bombay called after him but he didn't turn around.

Averman had just finished telling Charlie what had happened and closed his phone to walk down the hall to Tammy's room. They had finally given her a real recovery room instead of the emergency room initial check in room she had been in. Connie was at her bedside when Averman made it back to the door way. The color had been quickly returning to her cheeks and her blue eyes looked up at him when he came in. Her one eye was purple in color but she could open it now, _that had to be a good sign_, he thought.

"Ave, Do you know where Fulton went?" She asked, her eyes wondering why he wasn't there with her, it had been a while since she'd seen him. Averman tried to play it off with a shrug,

"Probably went to the cafeteria. He'll be back soon, I'm sure of it." He smiled before getting a half smile from Tammy, knowing he was trying to make her feel better. She looked back at Connie to continue their conversation and not worry about Fulton yet.

"I can't believe you're a Mom." She smiled brightly in Connie direction. Connie had to smile too,

"I know. Never thought it would be me first..." She laughed, looking down at the floor.

"What did Guy say? I mean when you told him?" Tammy wondered, thinking of the other morning when Guy had stormed out over their little jest about Connie and him. Connie's eyes remained down to the floor, her smile fading.

"I didn't tell him until a couple weeks ago." Connie nodded, not meeting her friend's eyes. Tammy's face fell a little but she tried to remain positive.

"So you went through that all alone?" She asked, taking Connie's hand. Connie nodded, a small laugh escaping her lips that Tammy was trying to comfort her when she was the one hooked up to all the machines.

"It was rough. I didn't think I'd see Guy again. I just tried to stay positive and do what needed to be done." Connie promised, looking back up at Tammy. Tammy looked down at her blankets, wondering where Fulton had gone again. She needed him. She would always need him no matter what he thought. She couldn't imagine going through something like that alone. Another person coming in the door behind Averman caught her attention but her face fell just slightly again at her new visitors. Tommy Duncan and their Dad stood in the doorway to her room, both had looks of concern etched on their faces.

"Tammy, what happened?" Her Dad asked her as he rushed forward to take her hand. She tried to smile for them and not make it a big deal.

"It was just a stupid accident. I'm fine." She promised, not wanting to make it into a big deal, she didn't want to worry them or make them think she couldn't take care of herself. She didn't even know how they had known she was here.

"How..." She began to ask but Tommy cut her off, walking over to the bed.

"Fulton called and told us we should come down." He said looking her over with securitizing eyes. He knew something happened that she wasn't telling their Father but make damn sure she was going to tell him_. If it had anything to do with Fulton Reed he was a dead man,_ Tommy thought, balling his hands into fists. Tammy picked up on his anger but shook her head no to his questioning eyes. Tommy relaxed a bit before Averman cleared his throat.

"Well, I'm just going to go make a phone call, be right back..." Averman said excusing himself from the room yet again to let Tammy's family have some time with her. Connie did the same and followed Averman out with one last hug, promising to be back later.

"Tammy, I think you should come home." Her Dad nodded at her. Tammy shook her head.

"No, Mom doesn't want me there and Fulton is my home now." Tammy promised, looking at Tommy as he came to sit at her bedside.

In the hall, Averman sighed heavily once he was out of ear shot and opened his phone to dial the same number again. It didn't even ring this time just went right to voicemail.

"This is Fulton, leave me a message." Before the beep. Averman hung up slowly, this didn't feel right, it wasn't supposed to be this way. Fulton should be the one here holding her hand while she healed. He sighed again, Connie's footsteps coming up behind him.

"Did you get him?" She asked, a nervousness in her voice. Averman shook his head no, wondering where he would have gone. He opened his phone again and flipped to another number putting the phone to his ear and waiting for the ringing to start. His mind wondered if he should even be calling after he hadn't seen this man in weeks but he was the closest thing to a brother Fulton had.

"Hello?" Dean Portman's voice answered on the other end with a sleepiness.

"Portman, it's Averman. Listen something happened to Tammy and we can't find Fulton... Have you heard from him?" Averman asked hoping he wasn't going to be yelled at today, he was only trying to do what was right. Dean sighed heavily,

"No, man, not today. What happened?" He asked, a slight concern in his voice.

"It's a long story, look, do you know where we might find him?" Averman asked, hoping they had a secret Bash Brother hide out or something. Portman sighed,

"I think I know where he would have went. I'll call you back in a few." Dean said hanging up quickly. Averman looked at the phone to make sure he was gone before closing it softly and looking at the brunette leaning over his shoulder.

"He says he thinks he knows where he is, he'll call me back." He looked down as Connie smiled reassuringly.

Dean stood quietly from the bed, trying not to wake the sleeping Belle Montgomery as she tried to catch up on sleep in her own comfortable bed instead of the hospital. She grumbled a little at the loss of contact to the warm body that had been wrapped protectively around her. He silently pulled the covers up around her shoulders and grabbed his jacket.

"Dean..." She mumbled, her eyes slightly opening. He sat the coat down again and came to sit on the edge of the bed to look at her. Her hair was tousled and her eyes struggled to open but Dean smiled down at her, brushing the hair from her forehead before holding her head in his large hand.

"Where are you going?" She asked with confusion marking her face.

"I got to go out. My best friend's girl is in the hospital and he needs me. I'll be back." Dean promised, kissing her forehead lightly before tucking her back in. She nodded in agreement before drifting back off to sleep, her hand resting on her baby bump. He silently watched her for a moment longer before getting up and putting his jacket on to exit the apartment.

He made his way down the hall coming to the living room where Belle's Mother sat nursing a martini on the couch and her Father sat at the dining room table, looking over some papers. Her Mother's eyes caught him and she gave him a suggestive wink, watching him as he headed for the door.

"Dean..." Her Father's voice stopped him before he could reach the handle. He hoped he wasn't going to get a lecture or something. He really was not in the mood.

"Yes, Sir." Dean tried to be polite, he wanted to be with his daughter, he might start off on the right foot. He turned towards the man as he came towards him.

"Dean I was hoping to talk to you for a minute about the living arrangements." Her Father said, holding his glasses in between his forefinger and thumb. Dean's face dropped a bit. He had been enjoying staying here with her and didn't really want to leave but if he had to than he would. He looked down to the floor in defeat. He would still see her every chance he got.

"Yes, Sir." He mumbled with defeat. Her Father seemed to laugh only slightly,

"Dean, you're going to be a Father." He started tapping him on the shoulder with a smile, "It's time to start thinking like one, even if it's only in show." He said, leading Dean over to the dining room table. Dean sat down when he did across from him.

"Sir?" Dean asked a bit confused. Senator Montgomery silently ripped a check out of his checkbook, handing it over to Dean. Dean looked down at it with a bit of surprise.

"Sir, that's a lot of money..." He said with a small laugh of nervousness. Senator Montgomery smiled, looking down to his crossed arms on the table's edge.

"It's for a few things. One of which is to find a place to live... for you and my daughter..." He said with a nod. Dean looked up at him with confusion again as the Senator nodded his head. "You can't stay here for the next four months and even after, I know Belle wants to be out on her own and she wants you in this baby's life so make sure they're taken care of." He said a smile playing on his lips. Dean seemed to nod, picking up the check to look at it before he sat it down again.

"With all due respect, sir. I'd like to do this on my own. I'll get a job and take care of Belle and the baby. I don't need a hand out." He said pushing the check back across the table. Belle's mother seemed to snicker behind them before she hiccupped rather rudely. Senator Montgomery looked Dean in the eyes with contemplation.

"I only want wants best for my daughter." He assured Dean, who nodded.

"I do too. I've already got an apartment, we can stay there while I look for a job and get things in order." Dean assured the man. "Please let me do this... I need to prove to her as much as you that I want this." Dean said being dead serious in his attempt to be the man he needed to be. Her Dad seemed to think for a minute.

"And you're payment for this..." Senator Montgomery asked. Dean sat back in his chair with a wave of his hand, dismissing the thought.

"I'm here cause I want to be. I don't want your money." Dean said rather quickly. "Look, I don't mean to be rude but I need to be somewhere... I'll be back later and talk to Belle about moving into my place. If it's okay with you, we'll probably stay one or two more nights?" He asked. The Senator tried to hide the smirk that was on his lips. Dean was proving him wrong fast and he rather liked that. He himself had been nothing more than a farm boy before he worked his way up to where he was now. He glanced at his wife on the couch, knowing she didn't love him and hoped for better for his only daughter.

"Fine. Did Belle give you a set of keys?" He asked as Dean stood. He nodded absently, trying not to look at the man again, he made him a bit nervous. He had his reasons for not taking the money, he needed to show Belle he was in this for the long haul. _The changes he'd made already felt good so why not continue_, he thought.

"Yeah, don't worry. I won't give them out to my friends..." He mumbled to himself. The Senator laughed lightly,

"See that you don't." He joked leading Dean to the door to open it for him. "See you in a while." The Senator said closing the door behind him. He turned back to the living room and to the bright blue eyes of his daughter as she peeked around the hallway corner.

"You been there long?" He asked with a sigh, sitting in one of the arm chairs facing the fire in the fireplace. Belle seemed to shrug, stepping out in a pair of sleeping shorts and a t-shirt. He was momentarily reminded of times when she was younger and scared to enter the living room for fear of being in trouble. He smiled, patting the seat next to him. Belle sat quietly, watching the fire with him for a few moments.

"I know I wasn't here as much as I should have been when you were growing up. I'm sorry for that." He mumbled. Belle nodded trying not to make a big deal out of it.

"Dad, I understand you had business things to do." She tried to down play the amount of time he hadn't spent with her in her younger years. He shook his head adamantly.

"No, really, I missed a lot of birthdays and holidays. I won't miss them with my grandchild." He promised, remembering when it had been tough for their family in his early days. Perhaps even when his wife had loved him, he thought watching her get up from the other end of the couch and stumble to the kitchen for another drink. Belle watched her go, her eyes trailing to the floor.

"She wasn't always like that." Belle thought watching her Mother go. Her Father nodded.

"I know..." He trailed off thinking of the better days in their relationship where she had at least made him believe she was happy. He sighed,

"Dean just left, he said he would be back soon." He tried to change the subject with a small smile.

"I know, he told me before he left. I heard your conversation too. He didn't take the money?" She asked confused. Her Father studied her face wondering what she could be think before he responded.

"No, he didn't take the money." He confirmed. Belle's eyes trailed to the fireplace and watched the flames dance against the log of wood that had been thrown in._ If he didn't take the money, why was he still here?_ She thought. _Was he really sincere in taking care of her and the baby._

"You know, he's not that bad of a guy..." Her Father mentioned with a shrug of his shoulders. Belle couldn't help but smile a little to herself.

"He's still got stuff to work on but he's getting there." She said with a nod of her head. "I'm going to lay back down. I think the baby is going to start moving soon." She smiled, touching her belly as she stood up.

"I love you, Belle. Don't forget that." He promised as she turned to go down the hall.

"I love you too Dad." She smiled before disappearing around the corner.

Dean pulled his car up to the curb of the old Minneapolis Cemetery, a chill running down his spine as he zipped up his jacket and pulled on a scarf. The sun was beginning to set and Dean mumbled to himself about cemeteries at night before heading in the gate with a long creak of the metal as it moved. The ground crunched under the soles of his shoes as he walked along under the maple trees, their leaves beginning to turn for the fall. it was hard to believe it was the end of August already. _Where had the time gone?_ He thought with a shake of his head. Pretty soon Belle would be having their baby. He made a turn at the end of the row of headstones and headed to the back, trying to remember exactly where the woman Fulton would be visiting was buried. A few more steps and he question was answered as he spotted Fulton Reed sitting in front of a large grey stone, some white daisies placed in front on the ground. He sighed to himself before making his way to his best friend.

Fulton had been in this very stop for a while now, since he'd left the hospital a few hours earlier. It would be dark soon but he wasn't ready to leave yet. Staring at the stone his eyes traced the words craved into the front.

"Renee M. Reed, wife and mother"

Fulton's teeth chattered with the cold but this was the only place he felt comfortable right now. His mind was running a million miles a minute with thoughts. He loved Tammy, he loved her more than himself and to see her the way she had been, covered in blood and apologizing to him for being attacked was just too much. He needed to think, needed to figure out why it was he could never seem to be able to protect her. He had left her in his own apartment, the door locked and a cell phone to call for help yet she still got hurt. _What did he have to do to keep her safe? _He asked himself with a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"Mom, I don't know what to do..." He whispered silently, a few tears coming to his eyes. The crunching of the leaves already on the ground made him turn and look at the person that had come to find him. Dean Portman stood a few feet away, his hands tucked into his pockets, his leather jacket zipped up and a bandana wrapped around his forehead. Fulton observed his appearance before looking back at his mother's stone.

"What do you want?" He asked, blowing hot air into the palms of his hands to keep warm. Portman silently walked up beside him and squatted next to him to clear off the leaves and branches on the top of the stone.

"What are you doing man, Tammy's going crazy looking for you." Portman said, looking at the ground once he was finished. Fulton shrugged,

"She's got Connie and Averman and Tommy should be on his way." Fulton reasoned playing with a daisy from the bunch he had brought. They had been her favorite, he remembered picking them for her from the front flowerbed when he was little. Dean's heavy sigh caused his eyes to glance in his direction.

"I know, man but you got to know she wants you, not them." Portman said sitting down on the ground. Fulton only nodded, looking back at his Mother's stone. Portman looked too.

"It's not the same, you know." Dean said motioning to the stone in front of them. Fulton huffed in anguish,

"I never said it was..." He trailed off, wrapping his arms around his knees in front of him.

"I know, but you couldn't save her. You can still save Tammy..." Portman promised as Fulton got up, anger in his steps as he paced in front.

"How? That asshole already attacked her. She's all bruised up and I should have been there to stop it. It should have been me that killed that mother..." He trailed off, looking at the ground, anger in is voice.

"Tammy needs you. She needs to know you care. She's probably wondering right now why you left and if you don't go back she'll start wondering if it was because the jackass touched her. Then she'll wonder if she's not pretty enough anymore, if her scars turned you off so much, you can't even look at her. Do you want me to continue on how many ways you'll screw up Tammy Duncan if you don't go to her right now?" Portman asked. Fulton stopped mid stride and looked to his friend who was still sitting on the ground. He knew Portman spoke the truth, Tammy already had low confidence because of the way her Mother had treated her for years, he was just adding to it by taking off. He huffed again, not knowing what to do.

"I don't think I could take her getting hurt again. I've watched her bash her head into the ice and bleed all over me and then today when she couldn't even talk to me because he choked her so hard." Fulton felt the anger inside him flare up and he kicked a potted plant that sat nearby, breaking the ceramic base. The flowers tumbled out onto the ground and lay still against the earth. Fulton shook his head in anguish.

"Fulton... Do you love her?" Portman asked, knowing full well the answer but wanting Fulton to say it. He hesitated, sitting back down where he had been and pushing the hair from his face.

" Of course I do. She was one of the only things that kept me going growing up with him." He finally admitted, tossing a rock at the nearby tree.

"Then what the hell are you doing?" Portman asked, an air of annoyance in his voice. Sighing in defeat, Fulton looked again to his Mother's headstone, remembering the day she died like it was yesterday.

"I watched him kill her, you know. I wasn't able to stop him, I was only 12." Fulton said, a sadness in his voice that he reserved for this type of conversation. Portman nodded slightly.

"I know, you've told me the stories. man, that's all in the past, you got to let it go. Your old man's in jail and he's never getting out and you can't bring her back." Portman said with sincerity in his voice. "I know you blame yourself but she wouldn't want that. She'd want you to protect Tammy the way you couldn't protect her." Portman said, reaching out to take Fulton's shoulder in his hand. Fulton nodded only slightly. "You love her, man. Don't be an idiot..." Portman letting go of his shoulder. Fulton had to laugh slightly.

"Your pep talk ends with don't be an idiot?" Fulton said looking to Dean for confirmation. Dean had to laugh too,

"I was never good at speeches, you know this!" He complained, standing from the ground. Fulton took one last glance at the stone before taking Portman's outstretched hand. "Let's go see if your girl will forgive you for being a jerk..." Dean said clapping Fulton on the back. "Why the hell would you come here at night anyways... creepy..." Dean said as Fulton smiled to himself. "And cold..." Dean added.

"I think I get the point." Fulton said nodding his head.

Adam Banks was walking and texting, an art he had never fully mastered when he almost ran into a police officer standing at the bottom of his stair well. He looked up at the man with curious eyes.

"Um.. I live upstairs... Is there a problem?" He asked looking passed the officer to see what was going on.

"If you call murder a problem than yeah, there was a problem." The officer said, a sneer in his voice. Adam stepped back only slightly at the rude behavior of the cop. He wanted to ask the cop if he knew who he was talking to but thought better of it looking down at his coffee shop attire instead of his Banks office business suit.

"Well, what happened?" Adam asked, wondering if the Ducks were okay.

"Adam?" Julie's voice asked from the doorway down the hall. He turned to glance at her before looking back at the cop. It didn't seem like he was going to be getting anymore information from him so he turned to walk down to Julie.

"I was just texting you... What happened?" Adam asked, stepping inside the second floor apartment. His shirt had some flour on it from making the muffins for the morning rush and his jeans were stained with spilled coffee but he looked completely tempting to Julie. She mindlessly rubbed her overgrown stomach before answering his question.

"Don't really know other than Tammy got hurt and Linda got arrested. Some guy I'd never seen before attacked them and Linda stabbed him." Julie said keeping her voice low, Robbie was in the living room playing with his hockey action figures.

"So I guess I can't go home tonight. Is Tammy going to be okay?" He asked. Julie seemed to shrug,

"I guess, Connie went to the hospital with Averman and Fulton. She hasn't called but Tammy seemed to be alright." Julie said walking into the living room to sit with Robbie. Adam hesitated for a minute before coming in too. Robbie's eyes looked up at him with surprise.

"Who are you?" Robbie asked, turning his head to the side. Julie looked at him with disappointment.

"Robbie, manners..." She reminded him. He seemed to nod.

"I'm sorry. I'm Robbie..." He said standing and holding out his hand. Adam almost laughed at the adult actions of this small boy. He looked like Guy and Adam almost wanted to call him that.

"Hello Robbie, I'm Adam. I'm a friend of your Mom and Dad's and Julie's." He said shaking the small hand. Robbie seemed satisfied with the answer and went back to playing with his action figures.

"You come play?" Robbie asked, pushing an action figure in Adam's direction. He laughed only slightly before sitting on his knees and taking the action figure. He realized quickly they were the cartoon Mighty Ducks characters and laughed. The character's Robbie had tossed to him had been Mallory and Nosedive, the two ducks that reminded Adam the most of Connie and Guy. It was kind of ironic if he thought about it.

"They have to get the bad guy..." Robbie stated, setting up the rest of the Ducks and a villain for them to fight. Adam played along, even talking in the voices when he needed to. Robbie loved it and wanted him to talk in the voices for his characters too. Julie sat back and watched the two interact, softly rubbing her stomach as the baby kicked softly against her skin. He or she was always more active when Adam was around, she had noticed, maybe it was the sound of his voice. She had read somewhere that the Baby could hear by now and maybe had become attached to Adam's voice. She brushed it off. They were just friends, she defended with a shake of her head. Though they had been spending a lot of time together at the shop and he had kissed her. She turned her thought back to watching Adam play with Robbie and wondered. _He would definitely make a good father one day_, she thought silently.


	28. Chapter 28

The whoosh of the doors opening into the sterile hallway of the emergency room made Portman remember the past couple weeks he'd spent in the hospital with Belle. The always present smell of alcohol, not the kind you can drink and blench that had invaded his nostrils on more than one occasion. Just thinking about Belle's face made a smile come to his lips. He couldn't help the happiness that bloomed in his chest when he thought of the mother of his child and the way her nose scrunched up at food she disliked, like the horrible hospital food she had been forced the endure for the last week. He remembered her talking about the chicken parmesan at the restaurant down the street from her apartment and how she'd kill someone for it, one night in her room. Maybe he'd surprise her with dinner? He thought, glancing over at his best friend walking next him. Fulton had abandoned his "security" jacket in the back of Portman's car. It turned out he had gotten fired for running out the way he had tonight but he didn't care. He told Portman they would set the jacket on fire later to watch it burn for all the crap he'd been through with that place. Portman had laughed and promised to do so, just as soon as he got Belle settled in the apartment. Fulton's bandana had been put back on his head and his step was determined as they made their way down the hall towards her room. It was an opposing force to see the two of them walk down a hall shoulder to shoulder. Averman could tell they meant business when he saw them coming. Fulton's eyes met his and he motioned to Tammy's room with a flick of his wrist. Averman nodded, looking now to Portman who gave Fulton a reassuring nod to go for it before turning his attention to Averman. Fulton nodded back, entering the room with a deep sigh.

"How is she?" Portman asked, coming to sit on one of the chairs across from Connie and Averman in the waiting area. The TV softly played in the background where he sat.

"Better, her family was here but she was adamant that she was not going home with them. She even kicked out her Dad when he tried to force the issue." Averman laughed thinking about how just much Fulton had influenced her already. Portman smiled, glancing in the direction of the door, where it sat open. He saw Fulton approaching the bed before Tammy saw him and nearly jumped out of the bed to meet him. They sat for a long minute holding each other before they kissed a couple times, Fulton sitting down on the bed facing her, he assumed to tell her what had happened. Portman wondered if it would ever be that easy with him and Belle. That he would just walk into a room and her face would light up like Tammy's had, like she won the lottery because he was there to see her. He wanted that kind of love and he wanted it with Belle. Turning back to Averman and Connie he smiled slightly, causing Averman to wonder if Portman had been abducted by aliens and replaced with a clone.

"You feeling alright, Dean?" Averman asked, watching his face dip just a little.

"Yeah, I actually have to get going, Belle is waiting for me at her place." Portman said, standing to leave.

"Aren't you going to say hi to Tammy?" Connie asked, motioning to the door. Fulton and Tammy seemed to be in an intense conversation at the moment, Portman didn't want to intrude after all the motivational talk he had given to Fulton on finally telling Tammy everything.

"Nah, she'll be home in a couple days, I'll meet her then." Portman said, tucking his hands into his pockets in a nervous fashion.

"So you're coming home?" Averman asked, wondering where he'd been these past few days. Dean nodded,

"Yeah, Belle's probably going to be staying with us too for a little bit, if that's cool?" Portman asked looking to Averman for a nod of approval. Averman was really confused now, _when had Portman ever asked anyone for permission to do anything_? He questioned before he nodded only slightly, half thinking that this was some sort of practical joke that would end up with him bruised and bleeding from Portman's fists. Portman only seemed to nod in response, his own thoughts wondering to if he should come home and clean his room beforehand.

"Cool. We'll probably be there tomorrow." Portman said, pulling his keys from his pocket, still in thought. He looked once more to Fulton and Tammy, seeing them now sitting with their heads pressed together, whispering to each other as they both cried. Dean shook his head at how Fulton could ever think that they weren't meant to be together. He shook his head in annoyance. "If he tries to leave again you have my permission to punch him in the face. As hard as you can."Dean said looking to Averman for confirmation. Averman stammered for a moment not knowing how to take that or how he would, in fact do such a thing, before he silently saluted Portman.

"Yes, sir." He said, Portman again cracking a smile before patting Averman on the arm.

"Thanks man." He said turning to leave.

"Hey Dean!" Connie called out grabbing her coat before looking to Averman for a moment.

"Can I catch a ride home, if that's cool? Robbie will be up early and I can't leave Julie responsible for him forever." Connie asked, remembering she would need her pills soon as well or she would be sweating like a man in a sauna. Portman nodded, motioning for her to follow him. She silently touched Averman's arm as she passed him.

"Call me if something happens..." She asked quickly before hurrying after Portman who was halfway down the hall already. Averman nodded, a slight wave of his hand as she disappeared behind Portman. He shook his head in confusion before sitting back down in the hard plastic chair and watching the TV they had on in the family waiting area.

Fulton entered the darkened room with light footsteps as he approached the bed. Tammy was turned away from him, her eyes closed and she looked to be resting. He thought he'd just sit in the chair next to her and wait for her to wake but the squeak of his sneakers on the linoleum floor must have caught her attention because she turned to look up, her blue eyes meeting his brown before they glazed with unshed tears.

"Fulton!" She exclaimed, throwing herself at him. He took her in his arms, bring her back down to the bed gently and taking in her scent. Her shampoo still lingered in her hair and he took comfort in the fact that she was alive. He realized just how close he had come to losing her and to throw it all away now would have been a mistake. She took a deep breath, holding him as close to her as she could possibly get. She pulled hard on his jacket to pull him closer and began to cry hard into his neck.

"Hey, I'm here..." He mumbled, softly rubbing her back through her hospital gown. She mumbled something incoherent into his collarbone before trying again to pull him to her. He kept rubbing her back and whispering to her to get her to calm down.

"It's alright. I'm not leaving again." He promised kissing her head. She refused to bring her head out of his neck, for fear if she let go he'd take off again. "Tammy, it's alright." He promised, slowly bringing her face up to his. She had tears running down both cheeks, her eyes red from strain. Fulton looked at the purpling bruise forming around the one eye and quietly touched it with his thumb.

"I'm so sorry, baby." He whispered, looking to her eyes for a reaction. Her blue orbs searched his face for some sort of explanation as to why he left. She had only gone to get cleaned up and when she came back, he was gone. She didn't understand. Fulton silently moved forward and gently pressed his lips to hers. She let him kiss her a couple of times before pulling back.

"What happened?" She asked, her hands braced against his chest to make sure she could look at his face when he answered her. He looked down, silently contemplating what to tell her and what not to tell her. Her anxiety was on high alert when he hesitated to answer her. "Is it me? Do you not want to be with me?" She asked, trying to catch his eye. He looked up at her fast.

"No... I love you... It's nothing like that..." He promised, cupping her face again and brushing away her tears with his thumbs. Her eyes questioned why and he sighed in defeat, wondering where to start.

"Please, Fulton. Just tell me..." She pleaded, still gripping his jacket in her fists. He dropped his hands to his lap before reaching one up to run through his hair nervously. He'd never told anyone about his parents except Dean and Charlie. Dean had a dead beat Dad too but luckily enough he left when Dean was still in elementary school. Charlie never knew his Father and took Coach Bombay as his male figure of influence when they had been Ducks. He looked back at her, her eyes still pleading with him to talk to her and tell her what was wrong. "Is it something I did?" She asked softly, new tears coming to her eyes.

"No, no... Don't ever think that... You're prefect." He promised kissing her again before pulling back and preparing himself to tell her his story. She waited patiently, watching as he took her hand in his and laced their fingers together.

"When I was little, before the Ducks." Fulton started, keeping his eyes turned down in case she didn't react well to his story. "My parents fought a lot. Not like argued and didn't speak to each other but fought like throwing things at each other and beat the crap out of each other. My Dad drank a lot so my mom got most of the injuries." He said, hearing her gasp next him. He continued, "It got worse as the years went on. They probably should have gotten a divorce but he always threatened to keep me from her, if she left, so she stayed. When I was old enough to understand, I would try to defend her but I was so small it didn't matter, he'd swat me out of the way, like a fly and beat her until she got knocked out. I remember watching her clean the cuts in the bathroom sink many times and cover her black eyes with make-up to go to work." There were tears forming in his eyes at the memories that telling this story brought to his mind. She softly rubbed his hand with her free one, keeping her grip tight on their intertwined hands. He took a deep breath before continuing. "One night when I was 12, I had done something, I don't even remember anymore considering how stupid it must have been but he laid into me, beating me until I couldn't stand. She came in to defend me and he went at her with a beer bottle he'd been drinking from. They fought and she ended up on the floor looking at me as he continued to kick her repeatedly into the kitchen cabinets. Blood came from her mouth but she didn't cry out that last time. She just looked at me." He wondered looking up at her. "I think it was for my benefit as her eyes met mine and when her eyes closed, I knew... I just knew, they would never open again." Fulton said looking in Tammy's eyes for understanding. They were covered in tears as she pulled him to her, resting their heads together.

"It was not your fault, Fulton Reed. You understand me... It was not your fault." She whispered, holding their heads together. Tears fell from his eyes as he pulled her in to kiss her again.

"I love you, Tammy... I couldn't take seeing you like that, knowing I didn't protect you, just like I didn't protect her." He mumbled, Tammy wiped the tears from his face now. She shook her head,

"There was nothing you could have done. We didn't know this would happen..." She promised, shaking her head against his. "We didn't know that a normal day would turn out like this. You can't always protect me but I need to be strong enough to protect myself, you can teach me." She promised, kissing him lightly on the lips again. He shook his head.

"No, it's my job to take care of you, not teach you how to take care of yourself." He argued, looking again to her eyes. She smiled a small smile.

"Fulton, I need to learn to take care of myself, too. How else are you going to support us if you can't even leave me alone to go to work." She smiled. He laughed slightly too.

"Maybe you'll have to support me..." He joked as they both laughed.

"Maybe, considering I've got all these new memories of winning an Olympic medal..." She smiled. Fulton smiled too, pulling her to his lap to hold her close. She silently remembered what it felt like to hold each other and sat quietly against his chest enjoying the moment.

"You know, after I met you... I used to think about you, when the beatings got too bad and I had nothing else to live for. I would always wonder where you were and what you were doing and tell myself that I needed to survive because I would find you one day and marry you." He whispered into her hair. She smiled, picking her head up to look into his eyes.

"And someday you will... You just got to ask me..." She smiled, looking into his eyes. He smiled back before kissing her on the lips, this time a real kiss and not the chaste ones they'd been sharing since he arrived. She giggled, pulling back for air and touched his face with her palm.

"I love you... I'm so glad you survived for me." She whispered, searching his eyes for the hint of love she'd seen there many times before.

"Now it's your turn to survive for me." He whispered kissing her again. She nodded,

"I'm not going anywhere..." She promised, hugging him close before letting out a sigh of contentment.

Connie looked up at the building, a sigh escaping her lips as Portman's car pulled up to the curb. it was pretty dark outside but Connie wasn't scare, it was three steps to the door.

"Thanks again, Portman... I owed you..." Connie said, stepping out on to the sidewalk. Portman laughed slightly,

"You'll be on babysitting duty soon enough..." He joked as she waved before he pulled away from the curb to head back to Belle's apartment. She smiled, walking silently up the steps and towards her door. The police tape still roped off the upstairs apartment and she sighed heading for her door. She was surprised to find it silent when she opened the door and quietly shut it behind her. The TV was on but the sound turned down, she noticed before she dropped her keys to the counter and looked over at the sleeping couple on the couch. Julie was curled up, her feet tucked under her and her head resting against Adam's chest as she slept. He was asleep too, his arm wrapped securely around her shoulders, his head falling back against the cushions. She smiled to herself watching them sleep, Julie every once in a while tucking herself further into Adam's embrace. She shook her head that Julie had ever questioned their need for each other. She was about to take her pill and head to bed when there was a knock on the door. She quickly rushed to it as to not wake Adam and Julie. Opening it to find Guy standing in the hall looking at her with confusion.

"Why can't I get in my apartment?" He asked, obviously just getting home from work. His hair was messy and his clothes were stained. She quieted him with a finger to the lips, pulling him inside and closing the door behind him before leading him down the hall to her bedroom. Once they were inside she turned to him with a sigh.

"There was an accident... Tammy got hurt and Linda's Fiancé got killed." She said trying to simplify what had happened.

"Killed?" He nearly yelled. She shh'ed him again,

"Robbie is asleep, keep it down..." She reminder him, listening for the small footsteps of their son. He nodded, looking to the door for the little man to come in when it remained quiet and closed Guy relaxed.

"So what happened?" He asked, confusion marking his face.

"I guess the guy showed up to bring Linda home and somehow it came out that he was the one that attacked Linda a few weeks ago. Tammy tried to help Linda and he tried to attack her... Linda killed him with one of your kitchen knives..." Connie said, going to stand in front of the window. Guy couldn't believe what he was hearing. He sat down heavy on her bed with a shake of his head.

"Is Tammy alright?" He asked, still confused as ever.

"Yeah, she'll be fine. She's pretty banged up but Fulton is with her." Connie promised, turning to look at Guy. He ran a hand through his hair silently trying to put the pieces together of Charlie's weird behavior to Linda's vacant expressions lately to the last time Tyler had come to retrieve Linda from their apartment. It made sense, he thought, letting a deep breath escape his lips. He should probably go to the hospital and check on Tammy, he thought standing to leave.

"Where are you going?" Connie asked, watching him head for her door. He stopped and turned to look at her.

"I thought I would go see Tammy, make sure everything's okay. It's not like I have a place to stay tonight anyways... I can't get in my apartment." He commented, motioning to the floor above. Connie wrapped her arms around herself to try to give her some self confidence,

"You could stay here... with me..." She mumbled, motioning to the bed. Guy looked for a minute contemplating what she was asking him before shaking his head.

"Nah, I should just go." He said, again getting ready to leave. She nodded absently,

"I'd offer you the couch but it seems Julie has already given it to Adam." She mumbled, looking down at the floor. She didn't want him to think she was throwing herself at him, she had no intention of sleeping with him tonight anyway because of her illness but it would be nice to have his arms around her once again. Guy sighed turning around and looking to Connie as she stood in the moonlight. She looked so frail and helpless, her arms wrapped around her torso in a way of protecting herself and her eyes casted down in shame. He took a deep breath before dropping his bag and moving across the room to take her in his arms. She immediately broke out in tears when his arms locked around her.

"I'm sorry..." She mumbled, crying silently against him. He rubbed her head the way he used to, to calm her down.

"It's okay... it's been an emotional day, I'm sure..." He mumbled, resting his cheek against her hair. She gripped his arm with her hand and leaned into him.

"It's just, watching Tammy be taken out on a stretcher, it makes you think, you know." She said, silently thinking about when it would be her turn to leave the apartment that way. She just hoped Robbie wasn't here to see it.

"Shh... it will be okay... You, me and Robbie are a family now... I'll always be here for both of you." He promised, gently stroking her hair. She nodded, knowing he meant well in his promises but he wouldn't be able to keep them.

"Will you just stay with me... I promise I don't want anything more than for you to hold me..." She said, pleading with him to stay. She just needed this one night with him again before anything happened. He thought it through for a minute before he nodded silently, knowing she had had a rough day. He silently lead her to the bed and sat her down. She looked him in the eyes as he reached down and took her shoes off one at a time before motioning for her to move back against the wall. He pulled his own shoes off before pulling his shirt over his head and climbing in next to her. She curled up to him immediately and felt his arms come around to hold her against him.

"I love you, Guy." She said softly before her eyes closed against his chest. His eyes watched the moonlight dance across the ceiling for a moment before he repeated the sentiment.

"I love you too..." He said, looking down at her but she was already asleep.

Dean Portman softly whistled as he made his way from the elevator the door of Belle Montgomery's home. He had stopped like he had thought about doing, at the restaurant and picked up some chicken parmesan for Belle and the baby. He was eagerly anticipating the look on her face when he walked in with it, when he unlocked the door and stepped inside the apartment. He was greeted with the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen. Belle walked out, an apron tied around her growing mid-section and a spoon in her hand. She stopped when she saw him, a smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, I was making your favorite... chicken enchiladas..." She mumbled, looking down at the bag. He quickly walked forward, sitting it on the table.

"Did you pick up food because my parents when out and I thought we could talk..." She mumbled before he pulled her to him and kissed her. All the emotions he'd been feeling all day poured into the kiss. She was so surprised she dropped the spoon she'd been holding and gripped his arm in her hand to hold on. After a moment, he pulled back, a smile on his lips when he looked down at her. She seemed to smile back, nervously looking to the floor where she'd dropped the spoon.

"I actually brought you something..." He mumbled, handing her the bag as he let go. She pulled the container from the plastic and opened it with wide eyes.

"Oh my god, you remembered?!" She exclaimed, wrapping an arm around him and kissing him on the cheek. "Oh, the baby has been craving this all day..." She mumbled going to the kitchen to find a fork. He picked up the spoon off the floor and followed her into the kitchen. She smiled brightly, digging into the meal without hesitation the moment she could find a fork. She mumbled to herself and smiled as she took the first bite, bringing a smile to his lips as he leaned against the counter to watch her.

"I can't believe you remembered..." She said with a laugh after she swallowed the first bite. He laughed too with a shrug of the shoulders. She was just about to take another bite when the smoke detector went off to the oven smoking behind her. Portman quickly ushered her out of the room and opened the stove to find the chicken enchiladas dripping into the bottom of the stove. He quickly took them out and grabbed a towel to wipe up the mess before it set fire. Throwing the hot towel in the sink, he dumped water on it and looked around for a cookie sheet to put under the pan. After placing it back in the oven Belle's eyes appeared around the corner, questioning if she's burned something again. She wasn't a very good cook but she was trying to impress him.

"Is it ruined?" She asked, a frown on her face. Portman smiled, slightly, checking the temperature on the oven before turning to her.

"No, no... It's fine, just a little drippings." He promised coming to stand in front of her. They looked at each other for a moment before she grabbed the container of take out off the counter and grabbed another fork holding it up to Portman with questioning eyes.

"Just in case... why don't we share for now..." She asked, turning to go into the dining room. He smiled, looking back at the stove before following her into the other room.


	29. Chapter 29

At just after 6 am, the small pitter patter of feet began in Robbie Germaine's room. The moment his eyes opened, his head was off his pillow and he was excited it was a new day. mommy had told him shortly he would be going to school so he wanted to make the most out of the time he had left at home and play with his toys as often as possible. He quickly surveyed them to decide which one was coming to the breakfast table with him before he bound out of the room and down the hall for the living room. He stopped in his tracks at the sleeping couple on the couch, turning his head to look at them as they slept. He tried to determine their relationship, thinking Uncle Adam must be Aunt Julie's baby's daddy before he turned to run for his Mother's room. It was often that he had to wake her in the morning. The soft creak of the floor boards under his small feet had awoke Guy for his restless slumber when he bound out of the room moments before. He sighed, wanting a few more moments with Connie. The warmth of her skin was something he had forgotten felt so nice on his and he pulled her closer to his bare chest to keep the feeling going. She grumbled something in her sleep about dinosaurs and cuddled more against him, a chuckle escaping his lips as he looked upon her. She face felt extra hot that morning, Guy thought finally opening his eyes to the girl wrapped in his arms. Her face was red with exhaustion and her forehead was covered in sweat when he reached his hand up to cup her cheek. She grumbled again when Guy readjusted them so he could be face to face with her and examine her ailment. He ran a hand over her cheek, collecting perspiration as he went and looked at it on his hand. She was hot as fire, he noted, touching her forehead with the back to see if that was the same. It was fire hot to the touch.

"Connie?" He asked, a hint of worry in his voice, wondering if she had been sick the day before. She mumbled his name in her sleep before pulling him close again, she didn't want to wake up if this was a dream. He let her tug his shoulders back into her arms, silently wondering what could be wrong with her? _Did she pick something up at the hospital?_ He wondered. His mind didn't have time to process anymore thought as the door flew open a second later and Robbie came full force at the bed, his arms outstretched. Guy braced himself for the impact when the boy jumped for the bed, landing more on top of him than Connie luckily for her.

"Daddy!" He cried happily as Guy let go of Connie, who was now waking up and looking around with worry. She relaxed when she saw that it was only Robbie, whom Guy now had wrapped in his arms tickling him.

"You want to coming in here and wake us up?" Guy joked taking to Robbie's knees for his most ticklish spot. Robbie cried out in laughter on Guy's attack.

"No, Daddy..." He let out a loud cry of laughter trying to push Guy off without success.

"What, big man can't take it?" Guy joked again before letting Robbie up, who immediately attacked him back, pushing him back on the bed and trying to tickle him. The two laughed with playfulness as Connie watched, tucking herself against the wall to avoid the swinging hands and feet. She almost wanted to cry at the two of them. They were so much alike. They were her boys and she didn't want to leave them. The giggling tapered off and they lay there, Robbie on Guy's chest as both fought to catch their breath. Guy let a laugh or two escape his lips, looking down at the little man and ruffling his hair the way his Dad used to do before his parents divorced. He would not let that happen to Robbie. He would not be an on the weekends Dad the way his had been. He smiled down at the boy with pride that he and Connie had made such a cute kid. Robbie smiled happily up at him.

"Why you here?" He wondered, his head cocked to the side. Guy tried to think of an explanation that Robbie would take, looking to Connie for help. She silently watched, her eyes glazed over with tears before he caught her eye. She opened her mouth to form a response before Robbie asked another question.

"Ummm... Daddy had bugs in his apartment and had to stay here last night." She said, knowing he'd probably all but forgotten the scene outside yesterday, considering she hadn't let him watch them take either stretcher out. Robbie looked to Guy for confirmation, who nodded.

"Yeah, big bugs..." He added, emphasizing with his hands. Robbie eyes got wide with curiously, trying to figure something out.

"Why you not live here, with us?" Robbie asked now, looking to Guy again. He looked to Connie, who looked down at the blankets with interest. She would let him handle this one. He guessed he was on his own when she didn't look up. He sighed, reaching up to push the hair off his forehead before he answered.

"Well Robbie, sometimes Mommies and Daddies don't live together anymore." He started, seeing Robbie's mind forming another question before he continued, "It's not that we don't still love each other and you, we just can't share space..." Guy tried to reason, looking to Connie again. She still had her head down.

"But Mommy always tells me to share... Isn't sharing a good thing?" Robbie wondered confused as he looked between his parents. Guy nodded, not wanting to give his son the wrong message.

"It is Robbie, it is but sometimes adults make the choice that's best, and sometimes that means not sharing. When you're older you'll understand..." He promised, brushing the same hair out of Robbie's face that had been in his own a few seconds before. it was amazing how much they were alike. Robbie nodded only slightly, looking down at the rise and fall of Guy's chest, thinking of a response.

"I want you to stay..." He said a bit of defeat in his voice. Guy sighed, pulling him against his chest.

"No matter where me or Mommy are, we're always thinking about you and always wondering if you're okay. That's what families do and we're a family. We don't have to be together all the time for us to love each other." Guy said looking to Connie who took his hand that had been laying on the bed. He smiled reassuringly at her. She felt the tears behind her eyes thinking that Guy would probably never love her the way he had before. She was the woman that gave him his son now and maybe a friend. _She had confessed she loved him and he hadn't said it back_, she thought still looking down.

"I love you Daddy..." Robbie mumbled against his chest. Guy smiled,

"I love you too, little man." He said, placing his cheek against Robbie's head as he pulled him in for a hug.

Les Averman walked up the last flight of stairs coming to stand in front of his apartment door. The police tape had been taken down and everyone was gone, so the hall was silent. He figured he'd come home and survey the damage before anyone else did, it would be hard for Tammy to see it if there was still a mess left. I knew Portman was at Belle's and Fulton was currently curled up in a hospital chair next to Tammy but he didn't know where the other three occupants had managed to sleep last night. He shrugged his shoulders first notating the crack in the door as he entered. The lock still worked but the chain had been busted from its screws on the wall and dangled against the door as he entered. He'd have to fix that, he thought now looking to the hall in front of him. The book shelf to the right of the door looked to have been hit against, it stood upright but the DVD's that had been inside lay all over the floor. He could only assume Tammy or Linda had been thrown into it. Adam's hockey stick lay next to it on the floor, the faint trace of a hand print laced around the handle in blood. He wondered who had managed to get that in the struggle. Since it wasn't the murder weapon the cops had left it but hopefully it had helped the girls. He looked now to right in front of him where a section of the floor had been blenched almost white. He knew immediately that that's where they had found the body. An eerie feeling washed over him knowing someone died in that spot and he quickly grabbed the area run from the living room and pulled it further into the hall. it didn't matter that the man who died was a rapist, Averman still felt weird walking on that spot. With the spot covered, Averman now looked to the rest of the apartment. It looked like all the fighting had occurred in the main hall because the rest of the living room and kitchen were spotless. Looking down the hall, he saw much of the same. _Tammy must have been cleaning when all this happened_, he thought with a nod. _All the beer cans had been cleaned up and the pizza boxes. Even the dishes were done_, he thought coming to stand at the counter to survey the free space. He looked over the area and saw the knife set setting off to the side, one large knife missing from the bunch. He shuddered at the thought of running that through someone and turned the set away from his eye line to focus on something else. A couple bags of garbage sat waiting to be taken out but besides that there wasn't much to do. He sighed, picking up the garbage first and going to take it out.

Averman ran into Dean Portman on his way down the stairs as he was coming up, a nod of acknowledgement passed between the two.

"Hey..." Averman said, trying to wave slightly, Portman actually smiled back, stepping out of the way of the man with the garbage.

"Need help?" He offered but Averman shook his head no before continuing down the steps. Portman made it up to the apartment a few seconds later and was surprised at how clean it was, minus the little bits of mishap next to the door. He casually strolled to his room first wondering why his Metallica poster was hanging on his door with a rip down the middle. He grumbled, pulling it the rest of the way down. He had really liked that poster, he thought balling it up and walking to the kitchen to throw it in the garbage. Averman had returned now and realized that Portman hadn't been home since Ashlee Banks tore apart his room. He was just looking to go hide in his room when Portman looked up at him.

"Yo, Ave, how'd my poster get ripped?" He asked, holding it up in the air before dumping it in the garbage. Averman laughed slightly nervous, if there was ever a time for the old Portman to return, it would be now.

"Um, Ashlee was here..." He mumbled, nervous about being the one to tell him. Portman looked at the ripped poster and thought about the girl he'd betrayed before his eyes widened and he marched towards his room with anger in his step. Flinging the door open Portman looked upon a mess. The bed sheets had been ripped off, every poster on his walls had been ripped down. His stereo lay on the floor and his clothes were thrown all over the room. He didn't have words to say what the mess in front of him meant to him but deep down he knew he had deserved it. He sighed deeply and hung his head in defeat. Averman watched him as he was silent for a few moments, his eyes searching the floor in contemplation. Averman flinched a little when he came back to stand next him.

"I tried to stop her..." Averman said, his face tucked into his chest, his shoulders up to block the blow. The punch never came though, Portman just shook his head in defeat, still looking at the floor.

"Did she say anything while she was here? Did she tell Adam about everything." Portman wondered. Averman slowly let go of his stance and looked to the man standing next to him, opening one eye first then the other. Portman's face was not one of anger but disappointment when Averman's eyes met his. Averman stood straight up now, feeling a little foolish for assuming he was going to get hit.

"She said she was upset with you... Adam did come home when she was doing it." Averman confirmed. Portman sighed, turning to go back to his room and clean up the mess. He knew he'd have to deal with the older Banks sooner or later so might as well make good use of the time before. Averman watched him go, _wondering what the hell was going on with him?_

Downstairs Guy had managed to get Robbie to the kitchen table for some breakfast. The kid wanting to play instead in the living room. The noise had woke Adam and Julie who had took one look at the other and casually separated to the ends of the couch. Connie had hung back, silently dropping in the bathroom to return the contents of her stomach without Guy knowing. She kicked herself for forgetting the take her pill, she would be feeling the after effects for the rest of the day. _This was not good_, she thought before she ran some cold water, splashing some on her face before looking in the mirror. She nearly stepped back at the sight before her. Her face and neck was breaking out in red spots under her skin and her eyes seemed to have been taking on a yellow tint in the whites. She closed them and shook off the image, _this could not be happening_, she pleaded with herself, _she just needed her pills_ _and everything would go away_, she thought, steadying her hand enough to open the bathroom door slightly.

"Julie..." She asked a bit of nervously. The blonde heard her call without detection from the two men in the apartment who were talking with Robbie in the kitchen about breakfast. Connie heard footsteps coming and hid behind the door in case it wasn't her best friend but Adam or Guy.

"Yeah..." Julie mumbled, still wondering how she had ended up on the couch with Adam.

"I need my vitamins..." She said, a tremble in her voice as she said it. Julie's eyes perked up, almost trying to look around the door to see Connie and make sure she was alright. She couldn't see so she headed for the kitchen to grab the bottle. Guy was at the stove beginning to make breakfast when she walked in. He looked up at her as he started a pan for eggs.

"Everything okay?" He asked, knowing Connie wasn't feeling well. Julie nodded,

"Yeah, just getting my pre-natal vitamins... I'm going to go check on her now." She lied, grabbing the pill bottle from the drawer and turning to head back to Connie. Adam had been coming up behind her to grab the bread off the counter for toast when they almost ran into each other. He instictively reached out to grab her before she could run into him and ended up with his hand on her stomach. She smiled nervously, patting his hand where it rested and avoided his eyes.

"I'll be right back." She said breaking Adam's hold on her and rushing down the hall. She went into the bathroom quickly and closed the door behind her. Adam looked at Guy for a moment,

"Isn't Connie already in there?" He asked, confusion marking his face. Guy shrugged,

"Yeah, it's a girl thing... they always go in packs to the bathroom..." He confirmed, not seeming too worried about it. Adam shook his head, grabbing the bread before going to the refrigerator to get the milk and pour himself and Robbie a glass.

"Here..." Julie said handing her the pills and sitting on the tub edge as Connie swallowed two pills down with water from the tap. She looked again in the mirror at the red dots lining her cheeks and sighed heavily.

"It's getting worse..." Julie said behind her, looking down at her hands. She knew Connie would lie and say that it would clear up but she'd done some research of her own. Connie didn't say anything, what would there be to say besides the obvious that it wasn't going to get better. She didn't look at Julie before she began to rinse her face again to avoid Julie's questioning eyes when they met hers. Julie scoffed at her.

"You know there's treatments now... There's antibiotics and ways that we could fight this. it's not over." Julie told her with hope in her voice. Connie stood and looked in the mirror at her best friend. it was true they had been making strides towards curing the Hepatitis C but it was only in very early stages so far. She shook her head in defeat.

"Yeah, I know but mine's too far now..." Connie said, placing the towel she had grabbed back on the hook. Julie shook her head,

"Don't you want to live? For Robbie, for Guy?" She asked with annoyance. "For me?" She added, looking down at her belly. Connie looked down at the water slowly draining from the sink, trying to think of a response.

"Of course I do but I have no health insurance and hardly any time left in me, Julie! This yellowing means my liver is shutting down." Connie snapped, turning around to face her. Julie stood to meet her eyes.

"Well, you better get some fight in you, or, or..." Julie stammered, not ready to lose her friend, "or I'll tell Guy!" She threatened. Connie's eyes narrowed at her in anger.

"You wouldn't..." She challenged. Julie almost laughed, when had Connie ever won this argument? Julie would do just about anything that she had been dared to do.

"Watch me..." She said with anger in her eyes, going to open the door. Connie blocked her,

"Alright, alright... So there's treatments... I have no health insurance..." She argued again.

"Go get some... Tell Jake, your employer that you need some..." Julie said with a determination in her voice. Connie looked at the floor, she would not ask another thing of Jake.

"No, it's not like a legit business where he needs to offer me a benefits package. I'm a stripper for God's sake." Connie said, turning back to the sink.

"Then go on one of those programs, you've got Robbie now, you should qualify." Julie said, never believing in government aid but knowing it could save her best friend. Connie sighed,

"I'll look into it, okay?" She asked into the reflection. Julie nodded slightly, knowing it wouldn't help to push. She needed Connie to want to fight too.

"Yeah, see that you do..." Julie said leaving the bathroom and closing the door behind her with a slight slam. Connie sighed again, gripping the sink in her palms. It was too late for that, Connie thought looking at her yellow tinted eyes, her body was already shutting down.

Averman had finished cleaning up the minor damaged to the front hall before he went to his room to have a few minutes to himself before Fulton would be bringing Tammy home. Looking over the room, he silently ran over the comic books strewn over the art desk against the left wall. he hadn't touched them in weeks, he'd been too busy was work and taking care of Ashlee's problems. He walked silently to them and looked at his years worth of work thrown all over the desk. Everything he'd ever done had been for her. Her face graced the covers and pages of his life's work and what did he have to show for it? Not even the girl_. She didn't care , she just saw him as a stepping stone for her next prefect boyfriend_, he thought with a shake of his head. Someone _to make her forget Dean Portman's name_. _Whether he would have even been good enough to make her forget_, _he did not know,_ he questioned but he just wanted a fair shot. He wanted her to want to be with him. To know it was his hands on her and his lips when they did make love. That would never happen now. He sighed, picking up a milk crate from the floor and swiping his arm across the desk to throw all those memories away. He sometimes wondered if she should have just taken her up on her offer that night but he didn't think he would be able to live with himself if he had. Knowing she didn't really want him. He needed to forget about her. It was time to move on. Sitting the crate on his bed, he adjusted his glasses on his nose and thought about how far he'd come from some love struck teenager to the man he was today. He was going to do something with his life and if she didn't want to be there to see it so be it. Quickly grabbing his jacket, he grabbed the crate and headed for the door. He needed to finally get Ashlee Banks out of his head.

"Easy..." Fulton Reed encouraged helping Tammy Duncan up the second flight of stairs to their apartment. She smiled at him encouragingly as he had his arms wrapped around her middle from behind. He was practically lifting her to each stair. She leaned heavily on him as she made her way up the steps, her head still not completely clear. She had managed to get dressed on her own, a pair of grey yoga pants and a white zip up sweatshirt Fulton had run out and got her. He had come back embarrassed as the guy at the checkout had questioned his purchase of a bra and some underwear to go with the outfit. Tammy had to smile at the lengths Fulton would go for her.

"I got this..." She smiled, trying to get him to let go. He held tighter,

"Just like you had the hospital escalator before you nearly fell off?" He asked, tightening his hold on her. She had to laugh lightly at that. She had indeed though she had the escalator leading to the hospital parking lot but instead she had watched the steps move to many times before stepping on and nearly tumbled down the steps when a wave of dizziness over came her. She laughed at herself, taking another step. _It would be Christmas before they made it to the apartment at this pace_, she thought with a laugh. Fulton seemed determined to make sure she took each step with caution. The banging of doors up ahead had them turning to see Adam Banks closing the door to Connie and Julie's apartment and heading up the stairs. He waved encouragingly at them before disappearing around the banister heading for the apartment. Tammy sighed, looking down at her feet again. A moment later Guy and Connie emerged from the same door, leading Robbie in between them to the park down the block. They stopped to look at Tammy.

"Hey, see you're up..." Connie playfully said, taking Robbie's hand as he tried to swing between his parents.

"Yeah, just a few scratches..." Tammy said playfully. Guy looked at her with questioning eyes, surveying the bruises in her neck and her swollen eye. She tried to smile at him.

"Really, I'm fine... I'm going to be fine..." She promised leaning back into Fulton and kissing his cheek. She would be fine as long as she had him. Connie melted at how adorable they were together, _who would have thought the bash brother had a soft spot?_ Fulton blushed, picking her off her feet and bringing her to the landing of the second floor so the two couples could talk face to face. She laughed, holding on to his arms around her waist.

"I can walk just fine." She reminded him when he sat her down in front of Connie. He just smiled playfully.

"Robbie, this would be Aunt Tammy and Uncle Fulton." Connie said as he held out his hand to shake theirs. Guy had to laugh before Tammy held out hers in a mimicking fashion.

"Pleased to meet you." He said with a smile. Fulton laughed slightly, this kid was totally Guy.

"No, no... the pleasure is all ours..." Tammy said, a smile playing on her lips. _Maybe she did want one of these after all_, she thought, glancing at Fulton over her shoulder. He seemed too absorbed in laughing to notice her look. Since her memories had returned she felt older, more seasoned and not so lost in her identity. She held Fulton's arms against her and silently thought what it would it might be like to have a baby with him.

"Did the bugs do that to you?" Robbie asked of her face. She laughed slightly, looking to Guy who covered his lips with a hand.

"Yes Robbie, the big bugs did that to Aunt Tammy..." Guy said, trying not to laugh. Tammy looked at him questioning the joke but decided against saying something else.

"How are you feeling?" Guy asked of Tammy as she shrugged, broken from her thoughts.

"Somewhere between hammer to the head and just got ran over by a truck but I'm managing." She smiled. He laughed slightly at her analogy.

"So where you off to?" Fulton asked, still holding Tammy against him, completely unaware of the googooly eyes she was making at him.

"Taking Robbie to the park for some fresh air." Connie said as the little boy stepped back and took her hand again. Tammy and Fulton both nodded.

"Well, Tammy should really get some rest so maybe come up and visit later?" Fulton asked, pulling Tammy towards the next steps.

"Fulton, I'm not tired..." She complained. He just shrugged as Guy and Connie waved before making their way the opposite direction, taking Robbie with them.

Adam Banks made it into the door of his apartment, softly closing it behind him as he looked around. Everything looked okay, he wondered where everything had taken place. The banging of a broom against Portman's door frame caught his attention and he noticed the bags of garbage sitting outside Portman's door before he saw his roommate come out with a broom in his hand, a bit of sweat on his brow. He looked up, a small smile on his lips,

"Hey man, just cleaning up..." Portman said looking back down at the realization it was this man's sister that caused the mess in his room. "Look, Adam, about Ashlee..." He started but Adam cut him off.

"No..." He stated shutting Portman up, "Don't even say her name! You don't get to say her name ever again! You just forget you ever heard her name!" Adam challenged. Portman looked to the floor again with a small nod. He deserved that, he wasn't going to say he didn't but he was trying to apologize and Adam wasn't giving him the chance.

"Adam..." Portman stated again coming to stand next to the man. Again, Adam cut him off mid-thought.

"No, don't talk to me either. I should have punched you in the face when I had the chance!" Adam's eyes glared with hatred. "As far as I'm concerned you can go to hell!" Adam exclaimed, looking the man in the eyes. Dean seemed to nod only slightly.

"That's not fair, man. We used to be friends." Portman said with a sigh.

"Our friendship went out the window when you decided to screw my sister." Adam said, anger rising in his voice as he moved passed Portman towards his door.

"Adam, I've made mistakes... I'm not pretending I didn't but I've changed." Portman said turning to where Adam had walked. He stopped to look back at Portman.

"You'll never change... I just hope the next girl knows that before you break her heart too." Adam said before going in his room and slamming the door. Portman stared at him for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. He didn't think it would ever be okay between them again.


	30. Chapter 30

Portman was about to walk to his room when the door opened again and Fulton walked in, Tammy trailing behind. He gripped her hand tightly as she walked into the hall on her own and looked around, trying to not remember the day before but the images flashing before her eyes. Fulton had decided to go first, hoping that the mess had all been cleaned up, it looked like it had but the smile that had been on her lips faded and she instinctively looked to the floor that was now covered by a rug. Fulton looked there too, knowing the rug had not been that far into the hall but didn't say anything, wrapping an arm around Tammy for support. Her eyes teared up just a little before she took a couple deep breathes, remembering that her memories weren't really happening that she was safe in Fulton's arms.

"It's okay..." Fulton soothed pulling her against him. She nodded her head, not letting anymore tears fall for what had happened to her, she needed to be strong for herself and for Fulton. She looked up into his eyes for reassurance. He silently wondered if he should have just taken her to a hotel instead, the way her eyes held fear. "We don't have to stay. We can go somewhere else tonight." He promised her. She shook her head,

"No, this is our home. I won't let him take that from us." She said pulling from his embrace to stand up straight on her own. She noticed the man standing a few feet away, hands tucked in his pockets nervously looking down at the floor. She smiled slightly,

"You must be Dean..." Tammy half asked half stated, he was the only roommate she didn't know. He smiled softly at her,

"Yeah, Portman... Most everyone calls me Portman except my girlfriend Belle. You must be Tammy." He said reaching his hand out to take hers. They shook, still looking at each other with questioning eyes. She definitely was not what Portman had pictured for Fulton. The blonde haired blue eyes beauty in front of him was something of a rarity in Fulton's life thus far. Fulton had always gone for the brunette girls. _Maybe he had deliberately only hooked up with girls the complete opposite of her to keep her off his mind_, Portman wondered. His former self would have jumped at the change to bang her but somehow he thought she probably wouldn't have gone for it. She seemed classy and protective of her heart. He shook the thought from his head, realizing now Fulton was eyeing him in that knowing expression of when they used to pick girls up together for fun. Portman stood back up straight, retracting his hand to his side with a clearing of his throat.

"Very nice to meet you. I see you have made Fulton very happy." He made sure to add to get Fulton's accusing stare off him. Fulton relaxed, placing his hands on Tammy's hips to back her up to him. She smiled softly, touching Fulton's cheek in a loving fashion.

"He's the one that makes me happy." She remarked, looking to his face as it leaned over her shoulder. Portman nearly gagged they were so sweet on each other_. It was amazing anyone could stand to be around them_, Portman thought, a laugh on his lips. He hoped to be that with Belle if she would let him. They looked back at him when he let a small laugh escape his lips.

"Sorry, I was just cleaning, my girlfriend will be here any minute." Portman said nodding over his shoulder to the bags at his door and the dust pan and broom out. Fulton walked down the hall to look at the newly cleaned door. It was a rarity for Portman to even attempt to clean his room let alone succeed in doing so.

"This must be big..." Fulton said, looking to the completely cleaned room, a look of awe on his face. All the clothes picked up either put away or in a laundry basket ready of the wash. The posters and stuff all gone off the walls and the bed made. Fulton had to suppress a laugh.

"Yeah, you haven't met Belle yet." Portman said with a smile forming on his lips. How _could he forget? _He wondered. _It had been a busy couple of months and he hadn't met Tammy until today._

"No, I guess I will soon though..." Fulton said, coming back to take Tammy's hand. She smiled once more at Dean as they passed towards their room.

"Nice to meet you Portman!" She called back as Fulton dragged her down the hall. He smiled as the two entered Fulton's room and shut the door.

The park wasn't crowded that day. The clouds seemed to be moving in and Guy wondered if they should start the walk home soon. Connie had said she was fine but the face she made every once in a while when she thought he wasn't looking had him concerned.

"You sure you're alright?" He asked again. Connie tried to smile for his benefit.

"I'm fine, just didn't eat anything yesterday and sometimes I don't feel well if I skip too many meals." Connie lied, looking back at Robbie climbing the jungle gym. She smiled, enjoying a nice relaxing day out with her two favorite men. She casually leaned back into Guy's arm that had been thrown over the back of the old wooden bench they were sitting on before sighing contently. He saw the small smile appear on her face and let the issue go. He didn't want to argue, it was a perfect day to just catch up on everything he'd missed.

"So, Robbie starts school next week..." Connie mentioned, not turning her eyes from the boy who was now running for the slide. Guy smiled, thinking of their son going to school.

"Is there a bus or do we have to drop him off?" Guy asked, confused on the process now.

"There's a bus. It will pick him up at 7:35 in front of the apartment. He's going to be going to Minneapolis Elementary, where we went." She smiled, still watching her son play. Guy smiled too, thinking back to the days of school and how much they'd all grown. It was hard to find everyone these days with life going on around them. He hadn't heard from Peter or Karp since district 5 ended. He wondered where they had gone. All the out of town Ducks had gone home after graduation with the exception of Julie who stayed to be with Scooter. Goldberg was running his parents bakery and Terry and Jesse was working at the Skate shop that Bombay now owed. Everyone had grown up and moved on, including himself. Looking down at Connie leaning against his arm and wondered if he had made a mistake in ever letting her go. She shivered slightly against him so he wrapped an arm around her and tucked her into his chest as they watched their son play with the other kids.

"I want to be there, when he gets on the bus." Guy confirmed with a nod of his head. Connie nodded in response, looking up at him.

"Okay." She smiled back. Guy touched her face with the tips of his fingers and slowly brushed the skin against his, thinking about leaning down and kissing her when the sky seemed to open up and rain began to pour down on them. Connie shrieked with laughter, jumping up from the bench to find Robbie as all the other children ran for their parents when a clap of thunder hit. Not his son, who remained on the top of the jungle jump pronouncing it was his now that everyone else left. Guy watched Connie try to get him down with a laugh before the first lighting struck and Guy raced towards them to help her. It was time to head home.

Tammy silently pulled back the curtain to look out the window next to her side of the bed. It was starting to get cloudy outside and she could hear some thunder coming their way, she hoped Guy and Connie were on their way back by now. It looked as if it could rain at any minute. Letting go of the fabric it slowly set itself back in its proper place against the window. Tammy sighed, looking back to the room the she shared with Fulton. He had left her here a few minutes before to see if he could make them some lunch, as if she couldn't be out there with him helping him. She hated feeling useless. She was fine, the doctor had said that she would heal fine, no thanks to that jerk Tyler. Looking down at the cuts on her chest she traced where his hands had been and shuddered, suddenly wanting another shower since the one she took before she left the hospital. The thought of a shower was only half what she really needed through. She kept thinking about how her body had been touched by Tyler in that violent manner and how she remembered the way Fulton touched her in such a loving and respectful way. She needed to feel that again to clear her mind of Tyler's hands on her. Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening and Fulton coming in with a tray of food. She smiled at him reassuringly and sat up against the pillows to reach for the tray but he wasn't about to let her have it. He kicked the door shut with his foot and walked to the bed before sitting himself next to her and resting the tray on his legs. She moved closer to his side to inspect the tray. Some soup, a couple of sandwiches, she wasn't sure what and some cookies that looked to been just baked. Tammy immediately went for the cookies, she had been a bit of a chunker this week with her junk food but she didn't care. Fulton only laughed,

"I knew that's what you would want first." He teased, grabbing half a sandwich and beginning to eat. She smiled playfully at him.

"I'm making up for all the years I was starved..." She argued with a smile still on her lips. He only nodded, thinking to himself how she could probably gain a few pounds and it wouldn't matter. He didn't care what she weighted, he wasn't exactly the poster child for the local gym lately anyway. It didn't seem to bother her any, he would love her anyway she wanted to be. She smiled again at him abandoning the cookies for the sandwich and looked up at him.

"So I was thinking I might take a shower after this..." She asked, looking down at her sandwich with interest. He nodded,

"Yeah okay, I've got some fresh towels and there's a lock on the door." He said, grabbing the soup now. She sighed to herself, dumb boys... She thought thinking of how to try again.

"Well, I probably shouldn't be in there alone. You know in case I fall or something." She said now, looking to his face. Fulton seemed to nod now, so she smiled, dropping the sandwich to the tray and touching his cheek.

"Yeah, I'll come in with you, to make sure you don't fall or anything." He said continuing to eat. "I'll sit outside, you'll be fine." He mumbled. She sighed out loud now as he looked to her.

"God, Fulton. I want you to take a shower with me. You know, wash my back type thing." She said exasperated. His eyes widened slightly.

"Oh, right." He said with surprise in his voice. Truth be told he'd never done that with a girl. Any of the girls in high school and college were always one night things where the morning was awkward or a party where it was just sex and another else. He had to admit he was nervous. "Tammy, maybe we should wait to, you know, have sex again until you're healed. I don't want to hurt you." He said, reaching out to touch her face. She looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Fulton, please. I just need to remember what it feels like to make love to you. Not some asshole's hands all over me while I try to push him off." Tammy said, her eyes glazing over with unshed tears, as she tried to close her sweatshirt more over her chest. Fulton moved the tray to their feet and pulled her into his lap,

"You will, okay, you will. I just need to know that you're healthy first. I need to know that you're safe and it's not going to hurt you. I never want to hurt you and I won't let anyone hurt you again." He spoke softly into her hair. She was going to protest but his arms around her made her feel better and she nodded.

"Okay, but soon." She promised. He smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Soon." He promised back.

A knock on the door had Portman rushing out of his room to get it. It was Belle as he had predicted standing on the other side, her bag slung over her shoulder and a smile on her face.

"Hey, I just brought a few things, Dad said he would have whatever else I needed sent over tomorrow." She said walking into the hall to look around. She wasn't being super picky about the apartment, it had character, she thought looking from the living room to the kitchen.

"Wow, this place is big..." She mumbled, looking down the hall at the closed doors.

"Yeah, I have a few roommates, I'm sure they'd love to meet you..." Portman trailed off when one said roommate opened his door to head to work. Adam looked up from his door once it was shut and saw the couple standing in the hall, Portman's hand reaching out to take hers. She must have been the slut Ashlee had been crying about to him. He hardened his face, trying not to take into account the friendly smile she had forming on her lips.

"Hi, I'm Belle." She tried to introduce herself before Portman could protest. Adam sneered at her, giving her his best Banks better than you look. Her face immediately changed, looking down to the floor instead of to him.

"I'm Adam, Ashlee's Brother." He introduced himself as she seemed to cringe more at his words.

"That's enough!" Portman cut in, trying to lead Belle away from Adam. She walked passed him, making it almost to Portman's door.

"What's she doing here?" He asked, turning to look at Belle with scrutinizing eyes. Belle flinched, looking to Portman's with confused eyes as to what to do. Portman came around her, pushing her towards their door before coming to stand in front of Adam. The two men looked at each other with anger in their eyes.

"Belle is going to be living here with me until I can get us a place of our own." Portman confirmed, challenging Adam to say something against it. Adam didn't back down,

"No, she's not. I pay more of the bills than you do. I will not have her here. It would make Ashlee uncomfortable to visit." Adam said, standing toe to toe with Portman and challenging him to say something else.

"Tough, I pay rent here too and I say she can stay. Averman and Fulton are cool with it too and I'm sure Guy wouldn't care." Portman said, trying to show Adam he was out numbered. "You would really kick my pregnant girlfriend out in the street?" Portman asked. Adam faltered, looking to Belle's stomach as she protectively touched it. He had to stand his ground for Ashlee.

"I say no." Adam said again, stepping to Portman's chest. "She's got to have family." Adam reasoned. Portman just crossed his arms over his chest in a "I'm in charge" stance. Adam wanted to knock the grin off his face.

"Then you can leave like you did before." Portman threw at him, smiling to himself. Adam scoffed slightly before throwing a punch in Portman's direction. Portman threw one back before he could think about it, he was defending his girl and baby anyways. Adam landed with his back on the ground, a groaning escaping his lips. Belle cried out as Tammy and Fulton rushed out of their room to find out what was going on. They had heard the fall Adam had took. Tammy immediately went to the girl she did not know. Fulton rushed forward to stop the fight.

"Guys, cut it out!" He yelled, coming to stand in between them. Adam's lip was busted and bleeding when he stood from the ground, wiping a bit of blood on his hand. He looked at Portman and then Fulton before he sighed heavily, grabbing his jacket and heading out the door. Fulton watched Belle break away from Tammy's arms and come to grip Portman's face in her hands looking for any damage.

"Dean, what were you thinking?" She asked, looking him in the eyes. "I don't want to cause problems." She said, a worry in her voice. He sighed heavily, _he messed up again_, he thought hoping he could fix this. He softly pulled her to him in a hug.

"I'm sorry..." He said quietly. Belle shook her head against his chest, tears now welding up in her eyes.

"No, I am. I'll leave..." She mumbled, going to get her bag from the floor. Portman stopped her, grabbing her hand in his.

"No, you're staying... He can go screw himself." Portman said, taking her bag from her and leading her towards their door. Tears had started to run down her face and he pulled her to his side. Tammy tried to smile encouragingly at her but Belle seemed to be thinking so many more things when they passed to go into Portman's room and shut the door. Fulton and Tammy just looked at each other, neither knowing what was really going on in this place before Tammy pulled Fulton to her to head back to their room.

The yellow cab pulled up in front of the well groomed front yard of the Banks Family home. Les Averman looked out the window in contemplation. It wasn't the first time he had been here but the first time he had been here alone. He looked to the house with a deep sigh, looking to the driver.

"Will you wait? I'll only be a minute..." He mumbled, handing over the fare so far. The cab driver nodded as Averman took his crate of comics and opened the door to get out. The walk to the front door wasn't long but his palms were sweating and he felt his face heating up in his nervousness. Making it to the front door, he rang the bell quickly and waited, shuffling his feet back and forth on the perfectly laid gravel of the stone walkway. He eyes remained down until the door opened a few seconds later, a whoosh of hot air escaping. Ashlee Banks stood in the door, a look of confusion on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned again the door frame. Her hair was perfectly placed against her head, her eyes not longer red with tears.

"Averman, what are you doing here?" She asked, a slight smile playing on her lips. He hesitated, his confidence was slipping but he knew he needed to do this now. He took the crate of comics and gently sat them at her feet on the step leading into the house.

"I came to bring you these." He said, still not looking at her, if he did he might not be able to do what he needed to do. "I'm done waiting..." He said softly. She stood straight up, looking down at all the comics in the crate before back at him.

"Averman, I don't understand... Waiting for what?" She whispered, shaking her head at the comics before looking back up at him.

"Yeah, you never did." He said softly. Ashlee was still staring at him confused when he glanced up at her, just one look to see if he had any effect on her. Her lips began to move, a look of confusion now forming into anger but he cut her off.

"No, don't try to understand now because it's too late. I stood by and watched Portman rip your heart out. I knew what he was but I couldn't be the one to break your heart. I guess now I'm going to anyways." He mumbled before sighing and adjusting his glasses. "I tried to be there but you only wanted a distraction. I'm better than that and if you haven't figured out that I love you yet then there's no future for us." He said, trying to hold his emotions in as he finally told her how he felt. He'd loved her for so long he wasn't sure what life would be like not loving her but he needed to try. She choked in a gasp at his confession, her hand coming up to cover her mouth in shock.

"Averman... I... I didn't know..." She said, taking the step down to be on the ground in front of him and reach for him.

"No." He said calmly taking a step back. "I need to let you go now. It's not fair to either of us. I can't do this waiting and hoping thing anymore. I watched one of my best friends almost die yesterday and I don't want to live my life always second best. Always your back up when maybe there is someone out there who would really care about me. I want to be someone's first choice, not their last." He said with a shake of his head. She let out a sob, trying to reach a hand out to him again but he batted it away.

"I'm sorry. If you really didn't know but I can't wait for you when you don't even see me. I'm not even a blip on your radar. Guys like Dean Portman, who will use you and hurt you are what you want." He said, an anger in his voice. "I never would have hurt you." He promised, still looking down. She tried again to touch him but he was turning to leave. "I brought you those so I can let go of you." He whispered of the comics, she looked back at them for a moment before stepping after him.

"Averman..." She cried out. He turned slightly to look into her tear filled eyes but she didn't know what to say. She could say she was sorry, she hadn't know but what good would that do now. She wasn't sure how she felt about him. He shook his head before he turned to leave, not looking back as Ashlee crumbled to the front steps next to her crate of comics and cried. He couldn't look back, he needed to do this for the both of them, they weren't good for each other. She just ended up hurting him and he never said a word to tell her it was wrong. Getting back into the car, the cab driver looked back at him with a knowing expression before starting the car to pull away from the curb. The rain had started to drip on the front windshield but the weather was the furthest thing from Averman's mind as silent tears now rolled down his cheeks.

The coffee shop wasn't busy when Adam walked in from the down pouring rain outside. Julie looked up at him from her spot behind the counter where she had been putting on another pot of coffee. Her eyes widened at his face before she gasped.

"Adam? What happened?" She asked, meeting him at the end of the counter. He tried to brush it off,

"Nothing. Portman and I got into a fight." He said, tossing his jacket in his locker and punching the time clock. Julie's hands were on his face when he turned around, examining his busted lip.

"Adam, you can't be fighting with him... You know how he is." She warned, grabbing the first aid kit from the counter and making him sit on the stool outside the kitchen. He grumbled,

"I'm fine... He hits like a girl." He said, rolling his eyes as she cleaned the cut. Her eyes remained on his cut while he's looked to her worried face.

"What was the fight about anyway?" She asked, making him wince when she touched the wound with alcohol. He took a deep breath in, shutting his eyes to the pain. He didn't really want to admit he had deserved the punch he had received but he knew deep down he had.

"Nothing really, just Ashlee and Portman's new girl... She's living with us now." Adam said, her stomach gently rubbing against his chest as she tried to examine the cut.

"Is she nice?" Julie asked, a hint of playfulness in her voice. Adam looked up at her with a confused expression before Julie tapped him on the arm with a smile.

"I don't know. I wasn't very nice to her." Adam admitted, looking down. Julie frowned. She hated to see Adam upset and this whole mess with Portman had been on his mind a lot lately.

"I don't think you'll need stitches but maybe you should see a doctor?" She asked, throwing away the cleaning materials she had been using before stepping to his side to wash her hands. He watched her for a second, her hair falling into her face as she rubbed at her hands together with soap.

"No, it'll be fine. Thanks for cleaning it up..." He mumbled, touching her side gently to make her look at him. She finished washing her hands and turned to him, a small smile on her lips when he stood to kiss her. Their lips were centimeters apart when the overflow alarm went off on the coffee that Julie had been brewing. He sighed in frustration before she raced to get the pot of coffee before it spilled all over the floor.


	31. Chapter 31

The room was completely silently with the exception of the falling rain outside that every once in a while pinged against the window glass. The sun had been hidden from the clouds of rain earlier but Portman was pretty sure it had gone down a while ago judging by the darkening scene just outside of the window. It had been raining for the majority of the afternoon, but the weather was the furthest thing from his mind. The ticking of the bedside clock occupied his thoughts momentarily as he brushed Belle's soft brown hair from her forehead, placing a gentle kiss on the exposed skin and listened to her rhythmic breathing as she slept peacefully against his chest. The tear tracks down her pink tinted cheeks reminded him that he had caused her pain and he closed his eyes tightly to quietly berate himself for such a thing. She had fallen asleep almost an hour before, safely tucked into his arms where he still held her against his chest. She had cried for hours, he felt like it had been hours at least and there wasn't anything he could say to make her stop. He screwed up again, he had hurt her when he punched Adam in the face. _He had only been trying to protect her, why was she so upset with him?_ He silently shook his head, it didn't matter why she was upset with him, only that she was and it was his fault. He tilted his head back to look at the ceiling of his room, the street lights just outside his window that used to keep him up at night were flickering on. Tonight he didn't mind so much as they danced across the ceiling with the wind blown trees rustling against the fire escape. He sighed deeply, watching them in contemplation of his next move. _Should he outright apologize and say he was wrong or should he just not say anything and hope she forgave him?_ Portman didn't have much experience with these types of things, he'd never cared what anyone thought of him. He'd never had anyone to care about except maybe Fulton, who's opinion mattered but he didn't make his decisions for him. Looking back down at her sleeping form. Belle sighed, gripping his shirt in her hands to pull him closer to her in her dreams. He smiled, brushing a piece of hair again from her face and tucking it behind her ear in a loving fashion_. He loved her, that must be what this feeling was_. He'd never felt it before. Even his family felt pale in comparison to the elated feelings she gave him that bubbled in his chest. He wanted to protect her and make her smile, not make her cry. His whole day could be that much brighter if she smiled for him. This new feeling made his chest feel tight and constricted so he laid her softly on the bed, pulling the covers up over her as he stood to leave. He needed air. Looking back at Belle, she remained asleep, resting her hand on her protruding stomach as she slept, a smile forming on her lips before Portman felt comfortable enough to exit the room quietly.

Standing in the hall, the apartment was quiet except the television in the living room, speaking in soft murmurs. Portman sighed deeply before he walked slowly towards the noise and saw Averman and Charlie both staring at the screen, their eyes not seeming to be moving, both lost in their own thoughts. Charlie sat in the chair closest to the wall, he hands crossed over his chest and his back straight in a rigid manner. He wondered who he was angry with today? While Averman occupied the sofa, taking the spot nearest to the kitchen, he hands laced in his lap and his thoughts elsewhere. Portman wandered in and sat in the other chair, for the first time being respectful of the quietness of the room. Before, the old Portman would have barged in and tried to make as much noise as possible to annoy the occupants and start a fight, now he sat quietly, waiting for them to speak to him. It was a new feeling to know he didn't have to say anything to his friends but just be there with them in this moment to have peace. He felt like he could have sat there all night in the silence and not had a second thought about it. Charlie looked over at him after a minute, his eyes red and puffy from not sleeping the night before but he tried to put on a small smile for Portman.

"Hey..." He said softly, turning back to the television without further response. He mind was elsewhere, on a brunette who was locked in a cell down town with no one to talk to but herself. He hoped she was holding up tonight, he couldn't spend another night in the car outside the jail. The cops had almost kicked him out last night if he hadn't been so drunk. Instead he got himself held in the detox tank until first light just so he could be in the same building as Linda_. He was really crazy_, he thought with a shake of his head.

"Hey..." Portman said back, not looking for a longer conversation at the moment, he just wanted to relax and think his own thoughts which mostly consisted of the fact that he loved Belle Montgomery. There were no words exchanged on how Portman needed to get a job or how Charlie was too uptight tonight, just simple silence. It just was and it was so much different than before. _Is this what being an adult is like?_ Portman wondered, looking to Averman briefly before he righted himself in his chair. His eyes were cast down to the floor in contemplation before he looked up at Portman with wondering eyes, not knowing quite what to say. He might as well just say it and get everything out in the open. If he was truly going to move on than he couldn't have regrets. Taking a deep breath, Averman steeled himself to what might be said and done before he started his conversation.

"I told Ashlee Banks I loved her today..." He stated very openly looking to Portman for reassurance that he wasn't going to get hit. He needed to be honest with Portman, it was only fair that way. Portman took in a deep breath, letting the words register to him but he didn't feel anything but hope for once. Ashlee Banks might have been in love with him but he knew now that he had never been in love with her. His feelings for her, whatever they had been, were gone, almost a distant memory that was completely overshadowed by his love for Belle. He smiled only slightly at the nervous redhead next to him and clapped him on the shoulder with encouragement in a very brotherly manner.

"That's great man." He assured him before Averman looked back at him with a small smile. He seemed to nod before he looked to Portman's face again, this time with regret.

"Then I told her I didn't want to be with her." His voice cracked only slightly before he looked down at the floor in shame. "Shit, what did I do?" Averman wondered out loud but he knew it had been the right thing to do but it didn't make it hurt any less or make it seem any less confusing. Maybe if he had been honest with her from the start then he might of had a shot but now it was all over. Portman's face fell just slightly, patting the smaller man on the shoulder again, this time reassuringly.

"It will happen... She was high-maintenance anyway..." Dean tried to joke but Averman was in no mood right now. He wanted to race back over to her and beg her forgiveness. "There's someone out there for you, man. You just wait." Portman reassured, keeping Averman right where he sat. He needed to be strong to get through this.

"I know, it just hurts." Averman said, not meeting Portman's eyes. Portman nodded, taking his hand back and turning back in his chair.

The old floor creaking told them someone was coming down the hall before Fulton appeared and sat on the other end of the couch next to Averman, letting out a sigh. They all seemed to nod as he entered, looking at the television as well before looking back at his roommates. Charlie turned slightly, looking back at Fulton.

"Hey... How's Tammy?" He asked softly.

"Hey... She's fine. She's getting dress, she just got out of the shower..." Fulton said back, leaning his head back against the cushions with a sigh. Portman smiled to himself.

"So how come you're not wet too?" He asked, a small smile still playing on his lips. Fulton threw one of the couch pillows at his face before sighing deeply again.

"She wanted me to go with her but I just, I can't yet... I just can't look at those cuts and know I couldn't do anything... I just got to take care of her until she's healed, then we can get back to normal." He assured the guys. Charlie had turned in his chair, interested in the conversation.

"What if they scar? Are you not going to touch her again?" Charlie asked in all seriousness. Fulton hadn't thought about it that way but he shook his head adamently.

"I will always love her and if she has a scar or two I'll just have to adjust." He said looking down at the carpet. He wasn't sure he could deal with that visible reminder of his failure but he had to try for Tammy if that's what it came to. Looking to Charlie, Fulton realized he hadn't see the man since the day before in passing as he ran from his car.

"Where were you last night?" Fulton asked, looking to him now, knowing he hadn't come to the hospital and no one was allowed back here until this morning. Charlie seemed to shrug.

"I went to the gym and beat the crap out of the boxing bag for a while... then I got drunk and tried to sleep in my car outside the police station... Who knew it was illegal?... Anyways, they saw how drunk I was and threw me in a holding cell until this morning so I'd sober up... I just didn't want to leave Linda alone... I know she's scared..." He said, looking back at the television now and trying to control the anger he felt coming back to him. He was feeling like he might need to head for the gym again rather than beat someone up. Fulton sat confused for a minute before looking back at Charlie. _Charlie was the responsible one and he was getting himself arrested for public drunkenness? What had happened to this man in the past couple months that everyone seemed to miss._

"What? They didn't let her go? Why didn't you just go in?" He asked, Charlie looked back at him, a small smile playing on his lips because really, what else could he do but try to make a joke of the situation.

"Don't even get me started, it's ridiculous. Just know, Tammy better stay safe until that hearing... Those pigs all have it out for Linda even though she's the victim here..." He mumbled with anger still lingering in his voice. He tried to laugh it off but Fulton knew it was a crazy laugh, the one's the psychos have before they kill someone. His heart rate increased in his chest, thinking about someone wanting to hurt Tammy again and he nodded in understanding.

"Ain't no one touching Tammy again. She'll get Linda out and everything will be fine. You'll see." Fulton promised as the silence in the room resumed again, no one knowing quite what to say. Portman cleared his throat, finally finding the silence too much. He stood to go to the kitchen and find something to eat. He needed to do something with his hands or he would go nuts just thinking all the thoughts that were running through his head. Looking in the refrigerator, he decided he would need to get food in the house with Belle now living with them. Picking a few things out, he tried to figure out how to cook something for Belle, she would need to eat to stay strong for the baby. The door opening to a very wet Guy had everyone looking up again as he scrambled to get the rain soaked umbrella down. Good thing Connie had suggested it when they went to leave this afternoon. He looked to the four pairs of eyes staring at him before he nodded and walked into the living room quietly, abandoning the umbrella by the door. He quickly took off his sweatshirt to let it dry and took Portman's abandoned seat near the kitchen.

"What's going on?" He wondered, it was the first time in months they had all been in the same room. Everyone seemed to shrug a bit, enjoying just the feeling of them all together for once. Portman silently continued to prepare a meal for Belle, while the rest of them looked to the television.

"Nothing..." Charlie said, tightening his arms against his chest again. He was still mad, even after his workout and near alcoholic episode the night before, he still felt like he could murder someone if he had the chance. Guy nervously smoothed his hands against his jean clad legs and looked to the television for something to do. He was bouncing on the inside for the way his life was going but the room seemed so depressing that he almost felt back for being so happy. He finally had a real chance at getting back with Connie if she just continued to open up to him and now he had Robbie. He let a small smile form on his lips as his mind registered the program they were watching on the television.

"When did we start watching Martha Stewart?" He asked, confused before grabbing the remote off the table. Averman immediately lunged for it.

"No, leave it..." Averman said, taking the remote quick from him. Guy looked at the man next to him with confusion before Averman shrugged with a bit of nervousness.

"Her voice makes me feel better. It's calming..." He said before everyone else started to laugh slightly. Even Charlie couldn't contain the laugh that escaped his lips at Averman's expense. He had been sitting here watching it with him the longest time but had not had the energy or attention span to reach over and take the remote from the younger man's hands.

"Seriously, Dude?" Fulton asked with a smile, pointing at the television. Averman slumped his shoulders in defeat before a certain blonde walking into the living room caused them all to look up at her and her bruised eye.

"Leave him alone, guys..." Tammy said, coming to sit on Fulton's lap with an air of finality. Fulton looked ashamed of his enjoyment at Averman's obvious pain and only nodded at Tammy as she held his face in between her thumb and forefinger.

"Right, Mr. Reed... No picking on Averman today... He was very good to me yesterday..." She mumbled as Fulton nodded only slightly. She smiled, bring her face down to meet his and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Good." She mumbled as they softly kissed a couple more times. Charlie watched them with awe, not having the experience of them before. He'd been too wrapped up in Linda to even notice that they now had a female roommate and Tammy and Fulton were attached at the lips. She smiled once more before pulling her face back from his.

" Now what are you guys doing out here?" She asked looking around at everyone with questioning eyes. No one really knew, except quietly sitting together watching Martha Stewart together. It wasn't a manly thing to do to lean on each other but that's really what they had been doing, just letting the room fill the silence. Tammy looked around the room before settling on Portman and narrowing her eyes_. If there was something amidst she could bet it had something to do with him_, she thought, _and she had only met him that day._

"So Portman... Where's Belle?" She asked, wondering if he gave in and let the girl go home as she had pleaded with him when they entered his room earlier. Portman motioned to his room with a shrug.

"She's sleeping..." He said without much thought, grabbing a bowl from the cabinet behind him and continuing in whatever he had been preparing. "I'm making her dinner." He smiled, grabbing a spoon from the drawer to his left.

"You just make sure you clean up after yourself. I'm not your guys maid..." She said sternly looking to the occupants of the room. Portman smiled.

"Yes, Mom." He joked, still focusing on his task.

"Who's Belle?"Charlie asked, now really confused as to what he had missed. Portman cleared his throat, trying to stall while he thought of how to explain the mother of his child, a small smile on his face.

"Belle is..." He started before he was cut off by the brunette walking in behind him.

"Right here..." Belle said entering the room and rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hands. The guys all seemed to look at her now. Her jeans had been replaced with fleece sleep pants and her long sleeve shirt extended tightly over her stomach clearly showing off her baby bump. Tammy smiled thoughtfully at her to try reassure her they were a friendly bunch. She came to sit on of the stools at the counter, just far enough away to run should the need arise and looked to see what Portman was doing before she looked at everyone. Guy's mouth hung open before Tammy leaned over and shut it for him so Belle wouldn't notice his bewildered expression. He had know she was pregnant but she definitely was not how Guy had remembered her in high school. She had gotten taller and more delicate in her features. Not that he ever noticed anyone but Connie but he had to admit she was beautiful. Charlie's eyes widened also before he stood from his chair to pace the floor.

"Portman, what... you're... oh, Christ..." He seemed to be trying to form an idea in his head but none were completely finishing for him. _They had girls moving in and now a baby on the way. What the hell had happened in the past few months?_ Charlie felt a headache coming on. Portman wrapped an arm around her, coming around the counter and looked to his pacing roommate with a small smile. _Charlie always had a plan and always acted with the best interest of everyone but since they had started high school, Charlie had developed this habit of freaking out over the smallest things only to realize what an idiot he had been and come to a rational conclusion. Maybe it was hormones or something_, Portman wondered, knowing it would stop in a minute, _you just had to let Charlie work out in his head how he would handle the given situation_. Charlie stopped after a minute and ran a hand through his hair with a sigh.

"Portman, you're going to be a Father?" He asked, a bit alarmed in his statement. Portman only smiled, touching Belle's stomach before he nodded in affirmation. Charlie didn't know what to say.

"Yeah, it wasn't planned or anything but... Yeah, I'm going to be a Father." He smiled at Belle, who smiled back at him before looking down nervously at his hand on her stomach. She didn't want to get too attached after all. She had let her guard down that afternoon and had showed how worried she had been that Portman could have been injured and now he felt some guilt for upsetting her. She couldn't do that again. _Portman was a player, he would move on after her, right_? She asked herself. If she told him how she felt then she might get her heart broken like Ashlee had. At least she would have their baby if nothing else. She silently placed a hand over his and looked back into his eyes. She wondered if he turned down the money because he really wanted to be with her? _Wouldn't that be just like a fairy tale_, she thought with a chuckle. Portman smiled at her now.

"So this is Belle?" Guy asked, remembering their conversation months before about the girl and the bundle she was currently smuggling under her shirt. She seemed to smile at him, grateful for the distraction from Portman's caring eyes. Guy had also been the only officially nice one to her so far, so she owed him her attention.

"I'm Guy... I'm the youngest... I have a son... with Connie, whom I'm sure you'll get to meet..." He mumbled on, not really good with first meetings lately and not really sure what to say to the woman carrying Portman's child. Belle smiled wider with a little wave of her hand,

"Hi Guy... It's nice to meet someone who actually wants me here..." She mumbled, looking to her hands instead of the other occupants of the room. Charlie stopped pacing and ran a hand through his hair again.

"I'm sorry, look, you just don't know him the way we do..." Charlie said motioning towards Portman with a bit of hesitation. She laughed slightly, feeling slightly better with a nod of her head, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"You would be... Charlie, right? The Captain... I've heard a lot about you..." She asked, standing to meet him in the center of the room. Charlie smiled the first genuine smile of the day, he couldn't be mean to a girl who smiled like that at him.

"Yeah, though I haven't been the captain in many years..." He mumbled, seemingly liking her already. Belle still smiled,

"Once a captain, always a captain, right?" She smiled back before reaching her hand out, "I'm Belle..." She said extending her hand to him. He shook it and looked back to the other occupants of the room, who looked on expectantly.

"Introductions, I presume, are in order?" He asked Portman over her head with a nod. He nodded once before Charlie looked to Tammy and Fulton.

"These two, who you will not find without the other lately, are Tammy and Fulton or as Averman calls them Fammy because they should just be one name..." Charlie said as Averman laughed, thinking he had came up with that the week before but no one wanted to use it then, so he had just been using it behind their back. Fulton smiled, tucking Tammy into his side with affection but Tammy glared at Charlie for a moment before standing from Fulton's lap and reaching out a hand to the girl.

"I am my own person by the way."She mumbled, kicking Charlie in the shin before she smiled at  
Belle with a warm greeting. "We're going to have so much fun! I can't wait to take you shopping and to get our hair done... Another girl living here..." Tammy said excitedly, a small bounce to her step. Belle smiled back at her thinking she resembled Barbie in some distant way if she didn't have some air of intelligence to her in the way she carried herself. Fulton only smiled and nodded behind her in acknowledgement before her eyes shifted the redhead next to them.

"This is Averman, he's our jokster but he's had a rough day..." Charlie said motioning to Averman, as he reached back to scratch the back of his neck in nervousness. Averman looked up at her with a nod before returning to the television. Belle felt slightly sorry for him but didn't want to intrude considering she didn't really know him. She smiled at them all reassuringly.

"It's really nice to meet you all. I hope I'm not intruding..." She said, a little relieved this meeting had gone better than her earlier encounter with Adam.

"Don't be ridiculous..." Tammy said, leading the girl to the counter to sit next to her on the other stool. Fulton looked kind of confused that she had left him but shrugged, turning back to Charlie, who was sitting back down in the chair. The room soon filled with chatter as everyone seemed to come out of their individual thoughts and look to their roommates for guidance. Guy looked to Charlie across the room in contemplation,

"Hey, have you noticed anything the matter with Connie?" He wondered. Charlie looked at him with questioning eyes,

"Nah, but I've been distracted these past few weeks. Why is she still sick?" He asked, wondering if it was the same cold she had been battling a few weeks back. Guy's face seemed to convert to one of confusion before he responded.

"Sick, she was sick? When?" He asked.

"A few weeks ago now. Fever and stuff. She told me it was a cold..." He said. Guy seemed to nod,

"Yeah, it sounds like the same thing... She was really sick this morning and blamed it on not eating..." Guy mumbled. Charlie seemed to shrug,

"I'm sure she'd tell us if it was something to worry about." Charlie reassured. Guy tried to nod but a sinking feeling was settling in his stomach. He knew something wasn't right but what was it? Averman perked up in that moment.

"She seemed fine yesterday..." He said, finally relenting and letting Fulton change the channel to some storage locker show. Guy was still confused but let it go momentarily to think. He'd have to talk to Connie about it.

"So you cooking for everyone over there Portman or just yourself?" Fulton asked, bring an arm back behind his head to lean back on the couch and look around Tammy and Belle at the counter. Portman smiled a bit before flipping Fulton off in the nicest way possible.

"Dean Portman!" Tammy cried when she saw him motion toward her boyfriend. Portman only smiled, grabbing more ingredients from the refrigerator to make dinner for everyone.

It was late by the time they all went to their respected rooms. Adam was still not home from work but it actually worked out better that way. Tammy smiled encouragingly at Belle before she bounded down the hall dragging Fulton with her towards their room for the night. Charlie and Guy waved silently as they passed to their doorways and Averman stayed in the living room, saying he wasn't tired yet. Belle sighed contently as she crawled into the soft sheets and scooted toward the wall to give Portman room to lay down. He stripped off his shirt and climbed in next to her, wrapping as arm around her shoulders and taking in a strong whiff of her hair. She sighed again, wrapping an arm around his waist and tucking her head into his neck. She was tired but she desperately wanted a few more moments with him. Tonight had been perfect and she felt at home finally.

"Thank you, Dean..." She said softly, her eyes beginning to close.

"For what?" he asked back, looking down at her.

"For taking care of me..." She mumbled before he thought she fell asleep. He took a deep breath, pulling her against him.

"That's what I'm supposed to do..." He promised, drifting off to sleep himself. Belle lay awake for a moment longer, listening to his heart beat in his chest before she too joined him in dreamland.


	32. Chapter 32

The brisk September wind sent a chill through Guy Germaine's sweatshirt when it passed through, cutting between the tall buildings with a whoosh of energy. He shivered just slightly, thinking it might be time to break out the winter coat after all. He had thought better of it the night before when he was considering what to wear that morning in the cool September air. Robbie Germaine stood at his feet, bundled in a heavy winter coat Connie had picked out for him at the local kid's clothing store. He casually glanced up at his Father from where he stood every few seconds, his mind running a million miles a minute with anticipation. His face was one of anxiousness.

"Daddy, do I have to go to school?" He asked, looking at his steel lunch box gripped in his hands tightly, not meeting Guy's eyes. Guy smiled down at the boy, crouching down next to him to look him in the eyes when they talked, it seemed to make Robbie feel better. Robbie bit his lip with nervousness, much like Connie used to do when they were younger. He smiled at the small boy, before looking to his mother. Connie sat a few inches away on the step, a cup of steaming coffee in her hands to warm them and a sweatshirt gripped tightly closed with other hand. She smiled reassuringly at him before taking a large gulp from her mug with a shiver. Guy nodded,

"Yeah, Robbie... you got to go." Guy confirmed with a nod of his head. Robbie's eyes seemed to tear up a bit with terror before he reached out to grip Guy's sweatshirt in his chubby hand to pull him closer. He hadn't been this nervous the night before when Guy had spoken to him about his first day of school.

"But why? Can't I stay here with you and Mommy. I don't want to go to school..." Robbie's voice went up an octave with a pleading tone laced in it, much different than the boy that Guy had been getting to know these passed months. He sighed, feeling slightly guilty for having to tell the boy no. It was something he didn't do often but every time he had to, it left him feeling sad inside. For everything he hadn't been able to give the boy, everything he denied him just added to the guilt. He would not be his Father, he would be responsible and make sure that Robbie had everything he needed and a little of what he wanted tossed in. Looking to Connie again, Guy sighed. He wouldn't blame her for his time away. He glanced at the ground for a moment, thinking of how to address Robbie's fears.

"Robbie, what's really wrong?" Guy asked, looking to the boy with certainty that something else was going on inside his head. Robbie faltered, looking to the sidewalk, much like his father had before, before he answered.

"What if the other kids don't like me?" He asked quietly, leaning in so only Guy could hear him. Connie had to smile at the Father Son interaction in front of her, so she didn't feel a bit left out of the secret, she knew whatever it was, Guy would take care of it. She couldn't help but feel pride for him to be Robbie's father. Guy smiled at the child with confusion.

"Robbie, how could they not like you? You're Robbie Germaine." Guy asked as the small boy shrugged with nervousness.

"I won't know anybody..." He seemed to sigh hopelessly, pulling the strap up on his already too big back pack. Guy adjusted the straps for him again for the millionth time and held on to his shoulders.

"Robbie, you'll make friends. Your Mom and I didn't know anyone when we first started school but look at all the friends we have now... Uncle Charlie, Aunt Julie... They all love you too." Guy assured. Robbie tried to nod when the roar of the school bus engine came from down the street. Robbie tensed with worry before Guy patted him on the shoulder and stood up to look in the direction of the noise, seeing the yellow of the bus making the turn to come down their street. This was it.

"Robbie, you have your teacher's name in your pocket, in case you get lost?" Guy asked, the boy nodded with confirmation as Connie stood up, abandoning her coffee on the steps and hugged her son goodbye.

"Be good. I love you..." She said as she let go and kissed him on the cheek. Robbie immediately wiped his face with a look of annoyance that she would embarrass him like that. She smiled at his angry face, he reminded her so much of Guy sometimes.

"Do what the teacher tells you..." Guy added, hugging the boy one last time as the bus made it's stop in front of them. Robbie took a deep breath before he started for the bus, again pulling his back pack right on his shoulders. It was bigger than he had imagined but he keep walking until he got to the door, gripping his lunch box against his chest tightly. The glass slide to the side and Robbie looked at the driver once before stepping up inside with nervous steps. The door shut immediately behind him. He quickly found a seat and waved at his parents on the sidewalk to keep them from worrying. He had to be brave, he told himself. Connie reached out for Guy's hand to hold it tightly, raising her hand to wave back as the bus started up again and drove down the street to its next stop. She held in her tears until she was sure it was around the corner then turned to bury her head in Guy's shoulder. She let out a small sob as he laughed only slightly, knowing exactly how she was feeling in that moment.

"I know, Cons... He'll be back soon..." He soothed, kissing her hair before he wrapped his other arm around her back pulling her body against his. She only managed to nod in response, the two of them standing in the cold morning air clinging to each other.

Upstairs, Charlie was busy picking out a tie to wear that day from his collection. It seemed Linda had spent her last morning there making sure all his ties were ready for him when he wanted them next. He was reminded of their college days and always finding his ties looped together in his drawer. He smiled, looking to the rack and the different colors that adorn it, all tied were ready to go. Reason number one thousandth why he needed Linda. He could not tie his own tie. The week have been spend with his mind counting all the reasons why she needed to come though this and all the reasons why he was a dumbass for ever letting her go in the first place. What else could he do to control his anger but remind himself how much he had to lose if he let it go. He hoped by the end of the day she would be back in this room, safely in his arms but he couldn't control that and he would have to learn to deal with that fact. Tightening his fists against his side, he took a deep breath of relaxation. He could only hope the judge would be more understanding and reasonable than the police department had been and the whole thing would be thrown out before it even started but if the DA made a convincing case, they could be looking at a long trial with Tammy as the star witness. Thinking about his blonde roommate, he smiled at the way she was able to keep a smile on his face through this whole week. She was the one to suggest the breathing exercises instead of the hole he had nearly punched in the hall wall when she'd told him what she remembered of that day. She was every bit the bubbly, motivator she had been in pee-wees and he had to adore her for that. He could understand how Fulton had fallen for her so easily. He really hoped that her and Fulton could work out this wedge that had been coming between them as of late, they seemed to be growing distant this past week but Tammy hadn't let it bother her in front of any of them. He shook his head thinking to something different before deciding on a simple green tie and putting his suit jacket on before exiting the room.

The kitchen was filled with music as he entered, finding the two female occupants of the apartment doing what they do best lately. Tammy had been more than eager to learn how to cook and Belle was more than eager to not burn everything she tried to cook, so between the two of them, they seemed to have a system going in the kitchen. This would be the fourth day of breakfast being ready when he woke up. Belle took the job of preparing everything and Tammy cooked it. It was working out great so far for everyone. It was Averman's day of clean up duty as Tammy had assigned, so Charlie could relax for a minute before he had to leave to meet Coach Bombay. This morning it seemed to be French toast as the girls danced around the kitchen to Vanilla Ice, tossing different things to each other and dancing around the room. He had to laugh at their playful bumping as they moved around the kitchen, he wasn't about to interrupt, going to the living room instead to find his shoes from the night before laying on the floor. The two had become near inseparable as of late. Guess if Portman and Fulton were close, the girls would be close too, it only seemed right. It was something more than that though, both Bella and Tammy needed someone to confide to and it seemed they had found that person in the other. The knowing looks and secret whispering the two had shared did not go unnoticed by the former Captain. Charlie quietly put his shoes on where he found them, smiling to the lyrics of the song as they were hummed. It had been years since he'd heard _ice ice baby_ but the lyrics still fell easily to his mind.

"Morning Girls..." He greeted, coming to sit at the counter stool, as Tammy smiled from the stove and Belle looking up at him from the counter where she was mixing more batter for the toast.

"Morning Charlie, you hungry this morning?" She asked. Charlie shook his head.

"Nah, I'm too anxious this morning but it smells good. I'll just have a cup of Coffee." He tried to encourage, reaching over the counter to grab a cup and the steaming pot. Belle just smiled at him, knowing the feeling but at least this morning she was completely morning sickness free for the first time in her entire pregnancy. Tammy on the other hand, came over, dumping more finished French toast on the serving plate before looking to Charlie.

"You have to eat something..." She tried to force but Charlie just shook his head.

"No... It will just come back up, I'm telling you... Are you going to the hearing today?" Charlie asked. Tammy shook her head at him, looking to the spatula in her hand.

"No... Coach says that if this goes to trial I'll be called as a witness so I can't listen to any of the arguments until after I've testified. Something about other evidence influencing my testimony but I know what happened, no matter what that DA has to say." She stated very adamantly before she glanced down at her sweatshirt covered chest, her eyes getting distant. The glance might have went unnoticed by anyone else but Charlie saw it and the hurt in her eyes just before she turned away to avoid him. He had a suspicion that what Fulton had feared was indeed coming true and Tammy had some sort of scar on her chest. He hadn't seen it but the way she'd been covering up and Fulton had been keeping quiet it only made sense. Tammy tried to smile for him as she returned to the stove to flip another slice.

"Would you tell Linda that I'm okay... Coach said she was asking about me when he called me the other day about the testimony." Tammy said looking back to Charlie. He nodded.

"Yeah, I'll tell her. I can't wait to see her..." He thought looking to the countertop he was leaning against with concentration. He didn't want to unset her with his happiness but it seemed Tammy was determined to not be a bother to anyone. She smiled faintly at him, thinking of her own relationship problems and the long jagged scar that ran from her armpit over her right breast. She silently touched the fabric that was hiding it from view but she knew Fulton had seen it. He hadn't wanted to touch her since the incident but she often saw him staring when she was changing shirts. The angry red mark forever tainted her skin for Fulton. _How was she supposed to heal when it reminded her daily of that man? _She thought silently. She may not have been raped but the trauma of his attack still weighted on her heavily. Combined with the rejected feelings that had been building in her chest from the way Fulton looked at her, she was struggling to keep up the happy face she put on for everyone else. She understood it was tough on him with everything that had happened in his life but she was hurting too and she just wished he'd understand that. She needed him and his touch more than anything else right now. She steeled herself from the tears that were brimming on her eyelids and took a deep breath, holding her sweatshirt closed more, when she felt an arm wrap around her waist. Looking over her shoulder, she tried to smile at the man she had just been thinking about. A small smirk playing on his lips as he tried to act normal.

"Hey, beautiful... What are you making this morning?" Fulton asked, kissing her head in a protective fashion against her hairline. Tammy sighed, knowing she longed for him to really kiss her again and hold her against him. It'd been a day or two after they arrived home that most of the scratches faded with the exception of the largest and ugliest one. The one that still remained on her chest and now created the separation between her and Fulton. He was trying, she knew he was but it still didn't make her feel any more wanted than a brother and sister relationship.

"I'm making French toast and eggs. You want some?" She asked, trying to put a smile on her face and make him believe she was okay when on the inside she was dying. He smiled too, a smile of pity, she thought when he turned away from her to survey the room.

"Yeah, sure... I'm going out with Portman for a while. We're going to go look for jobs..." He stated, still turned away. Tammy only nodded, she knew he wasn't looking at her. What difference would it make. She felt alone when he was here anyways, the only one she had to talk to was Belle, so why not let him go out and think he was doing something for them.

"Okay..." She mumbled, plating some food for him and bring it over to the table where he was sitting. He had opened the newspaper to his right and was reading the classifieds. She thought about sitting on his lap and cuddling with him like she would normally do to get his attention but she had tried that yesterday and only gotten pushed away when she went to kiss him. He had claimed he had morning breath but she knew better than that. When had it ever stopped him before from doing much more that giving her a chaste kiss? He looked up at her where she stood staring off into space. She must be lost in thought, he mused, thinking how much he wanted to pulled her into his lap but his body refused to comply. Looking at her trace that scar with her fingers in their mirror the night before was a constant reminder that he had failed her and probably would continue to do so. Even if he had resolved to protect her from then on out, what difference did it make when she was already hurt? Her beautiful porcelain skin had been forever marked in anger and he would have to look at it for the rest of his life. He cleared his throat to clear his mind of the thought before he spoke to her. He needed to remain calm and let her know that it wasn't her, it was him.

"Don't open the door if anyone comes by, okay? Unless one of us is here. If it's just you and Belle let it ring until they go away, okay?" Fulton asked, taking her hand in his. Tammy looked down at him with a small smile at the contact of his fingers against her skin, even if it was a small touch.

"Yes, I'll ignore it and let one of the guys get it." She promised, gently rubbing the skin on the back of his hand with her thumb. He nodded his understanding before refocusing on his breakfast with renewed interest.

"This looks good..." He tried to compliment, dropping her hand to grab his fork. Tammy only nodded before turning her back to return to the stove. The loss of even that small contact was enough to almost make her cry but she held it in. It was no one's business in this room what they were fighting about, so she wouldn't make it anyone else's problem but her own. She quietly sniffled, keeping her back to everyone else but the sound did not go unnoticed by Fulton, who suddenly lost his appetite, resting his fork against his plate. The floor boards creaked slightly making way for Dean Portman as he entered the room, dress shirt on and even a tie as Belle's eyes lit up with appreciation of his appearance.

"Good Morning..." He greeted, coming to wrap his arms around Belle. She smiled up at him, a playful hint on her lips.

"You look nice... Who's the other girl..." She tried to joke, knowing full well he and Fulton were going job hunting today but somewhere in the depths of her mind she might have thought it could be a sliver truthful. He laughed slightly, putting his hand on her stomach and rubbing a small circle.

"50/50 shot she's right here..." Dean joked, looking to Belle's bump. "It's all about the two of you now..." He promised before releasing her from his hold and grabbing a plate to sit with Fulton. Belle frowned at the loss of warmth but continued making breakfast like she always did coming to stand next to Tammy at the stove. Tammy quickly turned away, to avoid Belle seeing her eyes but the two had become so close Belle immediately knew she was upset again. It had been happening more and more often the past three days. She just quietly rubbing Tammy's arm reassuringly, not making a big deal out of it, like Tammy had asked. Tammy wouldn't want that.

"Well I'm off. Wish me luck." Charlie said, standing from the counter where he had a cup of coffee still steaming in front of him. Everyone waved and yelled words of encouragement to him as he exiting the apartment, letting Guy back in the door as he went. Guy shut the door behind him, rubbing his hands together to warm them after his cold wait outside.

"Did the little man get on the bus?" Portman asked, seeing Guy take Charlie's stool at the counter. Guy nodded in affirmation.

"Yeah, he was nervous but he'll do fine." Guy assured, looking to the plate that Belle put in front of him on the counter. "Thank you..." He said looking down at the food before he started eating.

"You're welcome..." Belle said looking to the table where Fulton and Dean were eating when she turned around. She watched them for a minute, studying their movements and trying to memorize their actions. Fulton sat, his head looking down the entire time and barely touched his food, just moving it around on his plate to make Tammy think he had eaten. Dean on the other hand was consuming his food faster than anyone she'd ever seen before. He looked over at Fulton for a minute and then turned to Tammy, knowing there was something not right but he didn't say anything, telling himself he would call Fulton out on it later. Belle had know that things weren't good for Tammy and Fulton right now but it seemed like it was getting worse each day that passed. She wished there was something she could do but she had her own problems in one Dean Portman. He choose that moment to look up at her from his plate with a smile and she couldn't help but laugh slightly at his goofy look. This past week had been pure heaven. Anything she wanted he had gotten for her. Even the midnight cravings she had had for brownies and gummy bears had been satisfied. He held her close every night and woke up with her every morning. She had never felt so protected in her entire life. It wouldn't be a stretch to call it loved but she wasn't willing to go that far. She knew all this would end once the baby arrived so she was more than a little sad she was progressing along so nicely in it. Tomorrow was their 20th Week check up and they were going to find out the sex of the baby. Half way home, she thought, touching her stomach in a loving fashion as she returned to the stove next to Tammy. The older girl tried to smile at her but she failed, looking instead to the pan her hand was gripping tightly.

The coffee shop wasn't crowded that morning, Julie thought, looking to the weather outside, it seemed to be a cold fall morning like any other, it was just a slow day for them, she guessed. Adam passed the time, silently sweeping the floor, every once in while looking up at her. She sighed, blowing the blonde hair from her forehead and leaned on the counter to watch the people pass by the window. The baby had been moving nonstop and she had hardly gotten any sleep the night before but she didn't mind, at 28 weeks she just kept thinking only 12 weeks left and then maybe she could fit into her skinny jeans again instead of these stupidly ridiculous jeans with the elastic in the waist. Adam didn't seem to mind but she hated looking at herself in the mirror lately. Sighing again Adam came to stand next to her and silently rubbed her back in exactly where it hurt the most. She stood and closed her eyes to his wore hands as they worked out the knot the baby had formed in her lower back.

"Thanks, Adam... You have no idea how much my back has been killing me..." She groaned, turning to look at him. He shrugged, resting his hands on her back and looking into her eyes.

"Go out with me tonight?" He asked, sending a bit of a shocked expression to her lips. She wasn't expecting this , she knew how he felt about her and she hadn't been exactly pushing him away lately but it wasn't like they were dating. Julie turned her face away in shock, removing his hands from her body. He felt her tensing away like he knew she would once he brought up doing something about their lack of a relationship. He wanted more, she knew he wanted more. Julie had liked the kissing and the touching that they had been doing but she didn't want their relationship to change into something more official. She liked not tying him to her, it made her feel better about being with him if he could leave at anytime. He had anticipated this reaction and reached for her arm before she could completely shut him out.

"Julie..." He tried, turning her back to him. She avoided his eyes at all cost, not wanting to admit it was the logical next step in the progression of their relationship. He was not giving up that easily, he had worked too hard to get them to this point. "Just listen, okay? Haven't these past couple weeks been great?" He asked. She only nodded, looking at the ground. Her fears of him taking on her responsibility returned and she felt instantly bad that she was handing him a ready-made family. She wished things were less complicated. "All I want is to take you to get something to eat. We don't have to go anywhere fancy, in fact, I don't think I could afford it anyways." He tried to convince her with a small joke, bringing his hand up under her chin and tilting her face to look at him. Her eyes met his and he tried to smile. "Come on, it's just dinner, right? You have to eat..." He tried to convince her without making a big deal out of it. He knew she'd get scared again if he made it into a big deal like the first time they had went out and she'd try to make excuses why they shouldn't see each other anymore. He needed her at this point and he wouldn't let her pull away from him again. Softly touching her stomach, he searched her eyes to try to reassure her he was right where he wanted to be. She finally relented, knowing the determination in his eyes. She sighed deeply.

"I have nothing to wear... My clothes don't really fit anymore..." She said, turning back to the counter.

"I don't care what you wear..." He assured with a smile. She had to smile too at the lame excuse she had come up with. "So, I'll pick you up at 7?" He asked. She tried not to smile but she felt her heart speed up a little in her chest. The baby kicked softly, lighting up her face a little more.

"7 is good..." She said, going back to clean the equipment at the counter as if nothing had happened. Adam spent a couple minutes smiling like an idiot before he went back to sweeping the floors.


	33. Chapter 33

The court room was packed by the time Charlie Conway had found a parking spot and made his way through the metal detectors at the front doors. Gordon Bombay sat at the defense table, looking extra well put together this morning, his best suit on and the dress tie that Charlie's mother had given him their first Christmas together. He silently adjusted his suit jacket using the lapels to straighten it against his chest and nodded in Charlie's direction as he made his way through the groups of people standing in the aisle, to the front of the room. Linda's parents sat on the bench right behind Bombay and stood when Charlie arrived to hug him. Her parents had always been super nice people and even after they broke up, still sent Charlie a Christmas card every year.

"Charlie, thank you, both you and your Step-Father have been so good to Linda through this whole thing." Linda's Mother Donna said as tears threatened to well up in her eyes. Charlie shrugged off the appreciation, softly patting the woman on the back with affection.

"Don't worry about. We just need to get Linda home , right?" He said, sitting down next to them on the other side of the bench and trying to remain positive like Bombay had told him to do. Bombay nodded reassuringly at the couple, as they too, sat back down to await the start of the hearing. this was just a preliminary hearing to set bail and see if the judge would even hear the case. Hopefully he wouldn't think the DA had anything to work with and throw the whole thing out. The door to the left side opened and a guard brought Linda in with a small breeze. Her hand cuffs had been removed and she was allowed to dress for court, which was a dark blue skirt suit and white dress shirt underneath, Her eyes remained to the floor until she approached the defense table and she took her first look at the crowd before her. Her bright blue eyes met her parents first and she tried to smile encouragingly at them before she looked to Charlie, her eyes showing the hurt that pledged her. He immediately stood, coming to stand at the railing and reached out to touch her as she passed. She gripped his hand for only a moment before the guard forced their hands apart and made her sit in her chair.

"No touching..." He said sternly, moving Linda's chair in after she sat against the table. Charlie gave the man the dirtiest look he could muster before sitting back down on the bench with a huff. He would have said something but he didn't want to risk Linda's case for his anger. She turned slightly in her chair to look at Bombay but looked back at Charlie instead.

"Are you okay?" He mouthed quietly to her. She only nodded, not wanting to think about any of the things she had been put through in the jail. At least they hadn't allowed her visitors so she had not been strip searched like many of the other inmates who were allowed visitors after returning. The constant torment of the guards had been bad enough. Their sneers and promises of life in that cell had been mentally exhausting but for the most part she had been treated fine. Charlie seemed to accept her answer and sat back a little before they were asked to stand.

"All rise, the Honorable Judge Stanton is presiding over these proceedings." The uniformed man to the right of the judge's bench called to quiet the room and notify everyone that the judge would be entering. Everyone stood, Bombay helping Linda to stand from the table in gentlemanly fashion. The judge was an older man, with graying hair and a clean shaven face. He looked to be a fair person from what Charlie could tell but looks could be deceiving. He'd been wrong before in judging people but their looks.

"You may be seated..." The Judge said, tucking his chair in before he flipped open his folder for the case that sat in front of him. He had read the notes and both the defense and the prosecutions arguments the night before. He also had received letters from many individuals as to the character of the defendant and would take those into consideration. Looking to the attorneys, he looked to the prosecution first.

"District Attorney Lewis, you may begin." He motioned with his hand as the younger man stood from his seat with his notes. Bombay had said he was almost fresh out of law school and it showed in his stance at the podium. He approached the podium and cleared his throat, not ever looking to Linda or the left side of the room. Charlie hoped it was out of fear.

"Your Honor. The state of Minnesota brings forth charges against the defendant, Linda Malloy in the death of Tyler B. Larkin. It is our understand that a premeditated murder took place on August the 28th within the confines of 1375 West Broadway Apartment F. This murder was planned and executed by the defendant, Linda Malloy, to inflict harm to her Fiance, Tyler B. Larkin. We will be seeking murder one with life in prison." He finished turning on his spot and returning to his table, his eyes remaining forward at all times. Bombay watched him go before he stood from his chair and made his way to the podium for his argument.

"Your Honor, Defense Attorney Gordon Bombay. I will prove that this entire story was orchestrated and fabricated by the DA's office is a blend of prejudice and falsification for a personal biases and furthermore carried out by a group of shady police officers to frame my client. I will do this by introducing evidence that Tyler Larkin went to that apartment to inflict harm on my defendant, Linda Malloy and Tammy Duncan and that she acted in self defense to stop him from doing so. I will also prove that Tyler Larkin was not the man the DA will paint him as but a cold hearted rapist that lived to torture his victims. I ask the court to throw this case out before it goes to trial and save the face of the DA's office before it's too late." He said returning to his seat. Charlie smiled at him before he turned back to the judge and sat down. The judge looked over his papers one last time before looking to the two attorneys, a look of interest on his face.

"After reviewing the documentation given to me and weighing the options of what is best to do in this situation, I have decided that the charge of murder one is far too great an offense to release the defendant from confinement, even for the duration of the trial. Therefore, the defendant will remain in custody for the remainder of the hearing pending the outcome of the case. However, I am freeing up the remainder of the month's schedule in order to hear this case and well into the next month as well. At this time, I will ask for a plea to be entered by the defendant." He said looking to Bombay. He stood, looking to Linda, who sat devastated next to him. He looked to the judge with a stern face.

"Your Honor, the Defense will enter a plea of Not Guilty." He stated, looking again to Linda, who was now visible upset, her hands gripping the table for support and her head looking down to control the tears she felt coming.

"The court accepts your plea of Not Guilty. The trial is set to begin tomorrow at 9am, please notify the court of any foreseeable issues with that time. Until then, court is adjourned." The judge said before he pounded his grovel and stood from his chair. The court room stood again as he left, Bombay having to help Linda to stand. As soon as the judge was out of the room, Linda collapsed into Bombay's arms, crying into his chest. Charlie's hear hurt to watch her and not be able to reach her and hold her himself.

"It will be okay, we're going to win this..." He promised, soothing her hair. Linda's Mother was much in the same state, clutching her husband's arm as she watched her daughter cry, unable to reach for her. The guard returned to take Linda back to her cell and had to pull her from Bombay's arms to do so.

"I'll be right there to see you." Bombay promised as she was lead away. She only nodded her head in response before he disappeared through the doors. Charlie was immediately at the rail.

"I've got to see her. You have to get me in to see her." He pleaded once everyone started to file out of the court room. Bombay sighed, collecting his papers and putting them in his briefcase. He was sure that the case would just get thrown out, now they were looking at a trial which could take them into Columbus day weekend. Looking back to his step son, he picked up his briefcase and exited the front of the court room.

"Okay but you stay with me and keep that anger in check." He said sternly, leading them out of the court house. Charlie nodded, following him close behind.

The kitchen at the apartment was in full cleaning up mode. Averman having been the last one out of his room, had finished eating and was now washing dishes as Tammy had demanded he do. _This was totally un-cool in his opinion_, he thought bitterly. _When had he ever had to wash dishes before. Sure, when they first all moved in together they had tried to share tasks and keep the place clean but over the years it seemed no one cared. Suddenly they had girls living there and he was forced to keep the place clean?_ He shook his head, rising the last dish from the sink. Tammy and Belle were putting away ingredients and wiping down the table and counters when he turned the water off and turned around, shaking his head still at them.

"You know. This could be classified as slave labor from the colonial times." Averman said pointing his finger in the direction of his roommates. Tammy laughed, reaching to put a bowl away on the top shelf of the cabinet across from him.

"Yeah, cause now I'm going to take you out back and wipe you for not doing it fast enough." She joked, stepping back down on her heels and turning to look at him. He had to smile at the girl who had no idea her joke could be taken in multiple ways. He raised his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"I think I might enjoy that..." He had to throw in with a laugh. She'd left the door open for him to flirt back, even if he knew she hadn't meant it that way. He needed to have a little fun and not spend all his time thinking about Ashlee Banks. Belle snickered from the table where she had sat down to rub her stomach with love.

"Oh gosh... Tammy you are so naive..." She laughed, still soothing the baby as they did somersaults in her uterus. They had been going like this for the past hour, she kind of hoped Dean would be here when they actually figured out how to kick for the first time. Tammy looked between the two of them with confusion.

"What? What did I say?" She asked confusion marking her pretty face. Bella just laughed again, standing to walk to her room.

"Nevermind... I've got to lay down, this little monster is moving around again and their pushing on my kidneys." She groaned, making her way out of the kitchen and towards her and Dean's room. Tammy watched her go still confused before she looked back at Averman. Now she was feeling awkward so she went back to putting things away and Averman drained the sink, rubbing the sponge along the edges to rinse out any food left there. The quietness invaded the room and made it seem rather uncomfortable for both occupants. Averman couldn't stand it any longer and turned back to her once the sink was cleaned and empty.

"Hey Tammy... I didn't mean..." His words were stopped when he turned and saw the girl gripping the countertop, silent tears running down her face. "Tammy, what's wrong?" He asked, coming to stand next to her and touch her shoulder. She shook her head refusing to look at him. Her hand was secured to her mouth as to not let out a sound but her face told the story. She had been embarassed that she didn't know what her roommates were talking about and that only got her thinking about how utterly unattractive she was. The tears had been inevitable at that point.

"Hey, I'm here for you. Just talk to me..." Averman tried to coax her to say something, anything to let him know she was alright. She finally relented, turning quickly to bury her head in his shoulder and cry her eyes out.

"It really wasn't that big of a deal. I've been unknowingly hit on before by beautiful girls..." He tired to laugh. Tammy shook her head against his chest, trying to let him know that she wasn't crying about only that.

"No, it's not that. I've just been holding this in all morning..." She tried to speak clearly through deep breaths of air. She brought her face up to his and he could see the redness starting in her eyes. His arms had inadvertently made their way around her waist when she had thrown herself at him but he brought one hand up to wipe at the tears running down her cheeks. Her blue eyes showed ones of hurt and anguish and Averman momentarily forgot about his problems to care about hers.

"What's going on?" He asked quietly, still brushing the tears from her cheeks. She sighed, not wanting anyone to know about her problems but she's let the cat out of the bag now.

"It's Fulton..." She started, looking down to the tear stains now dotting her sweatshirt. She took another deep breath. "He's been distancing himself from me for the past week." She mumbled, turning away from his embrace to look somewhere else. She took a couple steps away from the red-head and kept her back to him. It felt easier to talk about it like this because she didn't feel like he was judging her or Fulton. She sighed again.

"It started out small, you know, he didn't want to shower together. Then he didn't want to hold me too close because he might hurt me. It's just gotten worse. Now we don't even kiss anymore. At night it's like this invisible line down the center of the bed that he won't cross." She brushed the hair that had fallen in her face back behind her ear as Averman handed her a tissue over her shoulder. She nodded appreciation before continuing.

"Last night, he saw the one remaining cut on my chest. It hasn't wanted to go away and just keeps getting uglier. I saw it in his eyes. How much it hurts him and how much he can't bear to look at me anymore." She let out a sob thinking about his cold brown eyes watching her in the mirror the night before. He blamed himself for not protecting her, this she knew but now her body reminded him of it every time he looked at it. It was no wonder he couldn't touch her, couldn't kiss her, couldn't make love to her. She made him sick. She turned quickly into Averman's shoulder again and cried her eyes out for all the pain she was feeling. _All she'd ever wanted was Fulton Reed and one day some psycho just barges in here and takes it all away from her. How was that fair? Was the real world this cruel? _She asked herself. _She'd been sheltered her entire life but she couldn't image that life would deal her these cards just when she was beginning for things to fall into place. He'd been so loving and caring the first couple days. She knew he loved her, so why was he acting like this?_ Tammy's thoughts were interrupted by Averman tucking a hand under her chin to raise her face to meet his.

"Tammy, you are beautiful. I don't know what Fulton's problem is but he'll work it out. You two will work it out..." He said truthfully, not knowing of any of Fulton's past beside he came from a rough home life. Tammy tried to nod in response.

"Thanks Averman..." She said moving her arms around him to hug him. She brought her head forward to embrace him but he turned his head at that exact moment and their faces collided, their lips meeting in an awkward kiss. They both should have pulled away. That's what should have happened in both their minds but it didn't. Tammy had been starved of affection for so long that she pressed closer to him, wanting the feeling of someone else caring for her. Of making her feel loved. Averman's arms were already around her and tightened at the urging of her lips against his. Ashlee Banks was the furthest thing from his mind at that moment, holding this girl in his arms. This _was wrong_, her mind was screaming at her but in this moment she didn't care. The kiss went on for a few more seconds, Averman's hands getting tangled in her hair before he finally pulled away. Tammy's lips hurt from the rough kiss and she softly touched them, her mind immediately going to Fulton's loving kisses. The look on both their faces told the tale. Tammy's eyes widening in horror and disbelief. _How could she do that to Fulton?_ She asked herself, taking a couple steps back from Averman. Averman looked at the floor contemplating his actions. _This was not good_, he told himself.

"Tammy, I'm sorry..." He immediately whispered, trying to fix the situation. She held up a hand to him, trying to catch her breath and figure out what had just happened. Her mind didn't want to sort though all the emotions she was feeling. He tried to speak again and she again held up her hand, now pushing herself off the counter and walking passed him into the hall without a word. She retreated down the hall to her room and closed the door before he let out a long sigh and slumped back against the counter. _What the hell did he just do?_

Portman and Fulton quickly entered the coffee shop down the street from the blistering cold wind that had been whipping passed them as they walked from office building to office building in downtown, dropping off resumes and talking to people about job openings. Julie waved casually from the counter as they approached to order some coffees.

"Hey, pretty lady, when did you start working here?" Portman asked, not having been around to know enough of the drama that had been going on. Julie laughed.

"Um... A while ago..." She said with a chuckle still in her voice. She couldn't believe that he hadn't know where she was working now. It had been months but he was Dean Portman after all, she thought with another laugh. The door swinging open from the back room had Adam coming into the situation and he frowned deeply. It wasn't like he could fight with Portman at his job but he didn't have to be happy about having to serve him. Portman's face turned to one of shock.

"You work here too, Banks?" He asked. Adam didn't respond, just set up some cups for their order once it came in. Fulton noticed the tension between the two and only nodded at Adam before he told Julie what he wanted. Portman followed suit, not taking the hint that he probably shouldn't be egging on Adam when he was at work, considering the last week had been the two of them avoiding each other.

"Right... so that's $6.47." Julie said finishing tapping on the screen to place their order. Adam had already heard what they ordered and had begun to make their coffees without comment. Fulton handed her the money, knowing Portman was trying to conserve the little money he had for Belle and the baby. Julie handed him his change and then went to help Adam make the drinks at the counter. Fulton threw the change in the tip jar and turned to Portman, a look of concern on his face.

"Dude, you know he's still pissed at you, right?" He asked with confusion. Portman seemed to shrug.

"He can't be pissed at me forever, if I keep trying to interact with him, he eventually has to crack..." Portman smiled, waving again to Adam as he tried to ignore him behind the counter. Fulton had to stiffen a laugh, taking his coffee from Julie as she handed the cups over. He nodded at her before going to find a seat to relax for a minute. Portman followed, sitting across from him at the table.

"Alright, spill, what's going on with you and the ice princess..." He asked, taking a large sip of his coffee. Fulton sighed, looking out the window for a moment to reflect on his relationship with the gold medalist. He loved her that he was sure of.

"It's complicated, man." He sighed, not meeting the eyes of his best friend.

"Can't be that complicated. She's not pregnant, right?" Portman tried to joke at his own situation. Fulton cracked a small smile at that.

"I hope not. That would be bad timing if I had to say so." He joked back, not really thinking about kids with Tammy before this moment. They'd been safe so he wasn't too worried about it.

"Nah, really, man. What's going on? She's nearly in tears every time I see her now and you... you're grumpy mcgrumpster when she's around." Portman said, taking a sip of his own coffee. Fulton shook his head.

"I just can't get past it. I keep replaying the story she told me in my head and then I look at her body and it's almost healed but there's this one cut that won't go away." He said, finally meeting Portman's eyes. Portman shrugged.

"So it scars, so what... She's a lot more beautiful than one scar." He said with all honesty. Fulton had to nod. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, that's why he'd been in love with her for ten years.

"She's the most beautiful girl in the world. I don't deserve her for the way I've been treating her. It's just when I look at that scar and think about how I failed her, I know I don't deserve her and I push her away." Fulton admitted.

"Does it turn you off... The scar, I mean..." Portman asked. Fulton had to blush a little at the way the conversation had turned. He and Portman had talked girls and sex for a long time before now but talking about Tammy just made it all the more private to him. Fulton smiled slightly.

"Nah, she could turn me on even if she was wearing a paper bag. That's part of the reason why I haven't been touching her. I want her so bad, I know if I get next to her I'm just going to lose it and give in. I can't do that with my head the way it is. I need to figure my shit out before I try to explain it to her." Fulton confessed, sitting back in his chair. Portman shook his head in annoyance.

"Well, you better figure your shit out fast then, or you're going to lose her." Portman warned. Fulton only nodded in response. There was a moment of silence as they both drank their coffee and let their conversation sink in before Fulton spoke.

"How are things with the senator's daughter?" Fulton asked, not remembering her name. Portman smiled a bright smile.

"I think I love her, man." Portman said out loud for the first time. Fulton nearly spilled his coffee.

"No way. You, in love?" Fulton asked, a look of shock on his face. Portman only smiled wider.

"Yeah, it just was there the first night home. I love her." He repeated with reverence.

"Did you tell her?" Fulton asked, eager to know if he had been in dark about their relationship.

"Nah, I'm waiting for the right time, you know. I want to do this right. I want to have a decent job, be able to take care of her and stuff, you know?" He asked. Fulton nodded but he hadn't waited to tell Tammy how he felt, it had just happened. Thinking back to that moment, Fulton could come up with no good reason why he was acting the way he was. He needed to fix things with them and soon. If only he could work out his own demons and not make them Tammy's too. Finishing up his coffee, he stood from the table.

"You ready, there's still a few more places I want to try before we head home." Fulton said before Portman stood from the table with a nod. They both waved at Julie as they dumped their cups in the trash and Portman turned around to wave at Adam, who replied by giving him the middle finger. Life was good for Dean Portman, he thought with a laugh before closing the door behind him.

The police station had a stagnant odor to its visiting rooms of bleach and chemicals that made Charlie's eyes water. The cold hard metal chair he was sitting on made his visit all the more uncomfortable and he groaned at the extent the police had gone to make him not want to come back. Since she was denied bail, the police had to let him in to see her now but that didn't mean they had to make it easy or comfortable for either of them. The buzzing of the door from the jail had him looking to it as it opened and Linda was brought in. She wasn't dressed in her court room outfit anymore but a grey pair of pants and a grey cotton t-shirt. Her eyes lit up when she saw him sitting at the table.

"Charlie..." She cried out, rushing towards him and hugging him. The guard was going to protest but Charlie stared draggers at him as he pulled her close to take a whiff of her shampoo. He had bought the right kind for her and given it to Bombay a few days before so she could have something of herself while she was in here. This was as much human contact as she'd had all week and she craved it more than anything, gripping him tighter.

"Linda, I've been trying to see you all week. You have to know, I wanted to..." He promised, holding her against him as she nodded into his chest. The tears had started falling down her cheeks by then and soaking his dress shirt but he didn't care. She was in his arms and safe for the moment.

"I know... I knew you would..." She nodded, hugging him closer if that was possible. He kissed the top of her head with reassurance before he broke the hold and sat her down in the chair across from his. He didn't sit in his but kneeled in front of her, checking her over for anything they might have done to her but she brushed his hands away. If anything this week had been the time she had needed to find herself again. it had been liberating to know that Tyler couldn't hurt her anymore. He noticed immediately that she wasn't pulling away from him like she had the day of the attack. She still tensed at quick movements and her eyes still held the sadness they had for weeks before but she was allowing him to hold her hands and touch her face.

"Linda..." He started, bring his hand up to her cheek. She closed her eyes at the contact, remembering what it felt like to be touched by him. "Linda, you have no idea how much I've been worried about you." He said, holding her hand a little tighter. She nodded, not wanting to say anything in front of the guard.

"How's Tammy?" She asked, looking at his face again, this time with worry. He nodded his head.

"She's fine. She'll be here tomorrow, Coach told me. She's going to be the first witness called." Charlie reassured her. Linda only nodded in response.

"I was only trying to protect her, you know that, right?" She asked, a hint of worry in her voice as she spoke. Charlie nodded.

"I know... and everyone will know once Coach is done." He promised. Linda nodded again, new tears coming to her eyes.

"Charlie, if something happens..." She started but he quickly cut her off.

"Nothing's going to happen. We're going to win this, you'll see..." He promised. She tried to smile for him but it was forced.

"I know... but if something happens and I don't get out of here. I want you know I love you. I've always loved you..." She confessed. He sat up and kissed her on the forehead again as she cried. He wanted to cry with her and tell her everything would be fine but he wasn't so sure of it himself anymore.

"I'm always going to be here for you. No matter what." He promised, holding her close. The guard was getting antsy at all the hugging and touching and finally had had enough.

"Alright, time's up..." He said in a not too nice tone. Charlie growled under his breath but knew he needed to keep it in check for Linda.

"I'll see you in the morning..." He tried to be positive. She tried to smile for him to let him know she would be alright and he held unto her until the guard pulled her away and out the door. He sighed deeply with worry before sitting back down to have a minute to think. One thing he knew for sure, if Linda came out of this he wasn't going to waste one more minute of his life not being with her.


	34. Chapter 34

"Would you stop fidgeting..." Connie exclaimed, trying for the third time to clasp Julie's favorite diamond necklace around her throat. Her hands were already shaking from the illness. If she kept moving, Connie was tempted to choke her with it rather than try a fourth time to complete the task. She shifted again on her small heels and Connie groaned out loud when the clasp missed again, scratching the back of Julie's neck with the hook.

"Julie!" She warned, tightening the chain against the girl's neck in a threatening manner. Julie groaned in her own right, pulling against the pendant lodged in her esophagus.

"I know, I know... it's these shoes... I can't stand in them..." She said, finally kicking them off and letting her swollen feet have a rest against the hardwood floor. Connie watched them get tossed across the room before she tried again, this time successfully hooking the small hook into the eye of the chain. She stood back up straight and sighed with anguish, brushing a stray hair from her face.

"There..." She said as Julie turned to admire herself in her mirror. She was wearing a light blue dress shirt to compliment her eyes. Her hair had been twisted up into a clasp hair tie and she wore black dress pants to cover her nearly seventh month belly.

"I feel like a whale..." She complained, rubbing her stomach in a loving fashion. It seemed when ever Adam wasn't around the kid was dancing on her bladder. His voice was the only one that calmed the baby down even for a little while, she thought with a smile. Even if it didn't end up working out between them, it seemed Julie knew who to call to babysit.

"You look gorgeous... Adam won't be able to keep his hands off you..." Connie joked, a smile playing on her lips at the small innuendo. Julie frowned deeply, touching her necklace to turn it evenly on the chain and hang it properly on her chest. She'd been fantasizing about just that all day long. Looking to herself again, she wondered if he'd even find her attractive, the way her body looked now.

"I'm bloated, my breasts hurt, my back hurts..." Julie started to complain while Connie dug in her closet to find another pair of shoes. All she was seeing were sneakers and flip flops besides the one pair of dress shoes that Julie had flung across the room in anger.

"Don't you have any flat shoes?" She asked, coming out of the closet on her hands and knees.

"Fat shoes, yeah I'm wearing them now..." Julie joked, wiggling her toes at Connie. Connie smiled from her spot on the floor remembering when those were her feet and she still had Robbie safety in her stomach. Julie sighed, looking at her toes before she sobered.

"No, just the one pair of dress shoes... I don't like to wear them to begin with so I only brought one. I only wear them for Scooter's business parties." She mumbled, still looking at herself in the mirror. "Or, I wore them for his business parties..." She thought looking down at her stomach again with a sigh. Connie sighed too, getting up to go to her room for a pair of shoes.

"Don't think about him... He's not the one that wants to be here right now, is he?" Connie asked as she passed. Julie thought about her words and had to smile when the thought of Adam popped into her head. She was positive she was making the right choice. Connie returned a moment later with a pair of black ballet flats and Julie quickly put them on, straining to reach her feet around her middle section. Connie had been right, they fit perfectly as Julie smoothed out her pants to look at them in the mirror. Robbie came running from his room once the door was open again, and jumped on Julie's bed. He had been told to go play while Connie helped Julie get dressed for her date but since they were not longer shutting him out, he figured he'd come in and see what was going on.

"Wow, Aunt Julie... You look pretty..." He said, a big smile on his face that could revival any kid on the block's. He bounced happily against the footboard of her bed. Julie had to smile in return, though she was feeling like a stuffed sausage in her clothes, the little boy had made her feel slightly better with herself.

"Thank you, Robbie!" She said before the kid ran back to the living room to play with his action figures. He never stopped moving, Julie thought before her eyes returned to the mirror. She took a couple deep breaths, trying to relax. She hadn't been this nervous since her first date with Scooter in freshmen year. She immediately berated herself for bringing him up again and tried to remove him from her mind. Wiping her forehead lightly, she grabbed her purse from the dresser and took one more look at herself in the mirror before she was satisfied it was the best it could be.

"He's going to hate it..." She mumbled before Connie pushed her out the door towards the living room.

"Would you relax..." Connie said, going to sit in one of the arm chairs in the living room and watch Robbie play with his toys. Julie watched him too for a moment before the door bell rang and she moved quickly to answer it. Adam stood on the other side of the doorway, a single rose in his outstretched hand. His eyes looked up from the floor when she opened the door and he smiled at her appearance.

"You look beautiful..." He said, handing her the white rose. She smiled back at him, taking a moment to inhale the scent before stepping out into the hall and closing the door behind her. Adam took her hand in his and slowly walked towards the stairs, interlacing their fingers as he went.

"Where are we going?" She asked, watching his eyes stay on her for as long as they could before he had to step down the stairs. He wouldn't repeat the last time he'd almost fell watching her.

"Just the cafe down the street. I know you don't like surprises so I won't try to do that to you." He said, leading her down the stairs. She nodded her appreciation at the thought he had put into this.

"Thank you for being so cool with my commitment issues." She mumbled before he laughed out loud.

"Trust me, you're going to be fine tonight." He promised, leading her out the front door and towards his car.

Connie stared after the couple, a bit of a shake to her head at Julie not even waving a good bye at her after she'd spent the last two hours helping the mother to be get ready. Connie just sighed, looking to her son as he played on the floor in front of the television. Another knock on the door had her standing up to get it, a smile playing on her lips with the thought that maybe it was Julie and she'd forgotten something else including her goodbye. Connie's smile only increased once she reached the door and pulled it open to reveal the father of her child. Guy smiled back, stepping from foot to foot in anticipation.

"Hey, just stopping by the see how the first day went..." He said with happiness as she stepped back and motioned for him to come in. Robbie was at his leg once he heard his voice at the door.

"Daddy, you were right, I made two friends today..." He said, staring up at the man with awe. Guy smiled, picking the boy up and hugging him close. He had been slightly worried Robbie would be too nervous to interact with the other kids but he was glad that wasn't the case.

"Their names are Dylan and Jesse..." Robbie continued as Guy listened intently.

"You'll have to tell me all about them and how everything else went..." He said, moving away from the door so Connie could shut it. She smiled at the two of them and they conversed, a silliness in Guy's voice that Robbie would ever doubt that people would like him.

"Julie's out for the night... Do you want to stay for dinner?" She asked, hoping he would say yes. She'd been longing for his company more and more lately. His eyes glanced back at hers and they softened with a nod.

"Yeah, I'd like that." He said before carrying Robbie into the living, the boy giggling at Guy's teasing tone echoing off the walls. Connie watched them go before going to the refrigerator to pull out some stuff to make dinner. She needed to talk to Guy tonight about some things she had been thinking about, so hopefully he'd hear her out. She needed him now more than ever and Robbie would need him too.

Fulton Reed walked into the quiet apartment, momentarily wondering where everyone was. Usually Tammy, Belle and Averman would be joking and laughing in the living room. Belle and Tammy had been stuck to each other like glue lately and it seemed weird that they weren't somewhere together tonight. Instead the room was silent, save the click of the clock on the wall above the couch. Portman nearly bumped into him when he stopped fast.

"Dude, what?" He asked, coming to look over his shoulder at the very clean living room. Fulton just shrugged, looking down the hall at the closed doors.

"Nothing, just wondering where everyone is." He said, pulling at his neck tie before pulling it over his head and dropping his jacket on the chair closest to him. Portman shrugged his shoulder, quickly making his way to his door and opening it slowly to reveal a sleeping Belle Montgomery, curled up under the covers. He placed his finger to his lips to keep Fulton quiet and silently tip toed into the room, shutting the door behind him. Fulton smiled only slightly with a shake of his head before taking a deep breath and heading for his own room down the hall. He knew he'd been avoiding Tammy the past week and it was time he got called out on his neglect. The floor boards creaked slightly under his weight as usual, letting his presence be known and he opened his door slightly to a darkened room. He could make out Tammy's form laying with her back to the door on the bed. The slight light of the window playing on her skin. He wondered if she'd spent all day in here, curled up the way she was. It was nearly dinner time. Closing the door softly, he turned on the light to illuminate her to his eyes but she didn't move, just simply remained turned away, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I'm home..." He tried gently to get her attention. She stiffened at his voice, tightening her arms against her chest. He knew she was mad at him so he probably deserved the treatment she was giving him at the moment. He shook his head, reaching down to pull off his boots and drop them in the closet before he came to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I know I haven't exactly been understanding lately..." He started, his back to her in his confession. "But I'm trying, you know, I'm trying..." He stressed with a moan of defeat, putting his head in his hands. He shook it lightly again.

"I know it's not much. I know you need more but I just... I can't..." He mumbled to himself more than her. "I just... I can't lose you..." He said, finally sitting up and turning to look at her. "These past few months... you're everything to me..." He finally admitted. Her heart was breaking in her chest as her eyes filled with tears. Her back was to him still but he could make out the shake of her shoulders as she cried. Reaching out softly, he touched her shoulder and turned her to look at him. Her eyes and nose were red from crying all day, her face blotchy with worry as fresh fell from her eyes.

"Oh, Tammy..." He said softly before she sprang from the bed and into his arms to grip him tightly to her. He coddled her in his arms against his chest as she cried her eyes out. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I did this to us..." He soothed into her hair. She hiccupped in response, shaking her head no.

"No, Fulton..." She tried to get out between sobs but he just pulled her against his chest.

"No, Tammy... I promise I'm going to try harder, I mean really try to make this work. I love you so much..." He said, hugging her against him and feeling his own tears come to his eyes.

"Fulton, I need to tell you something..." She tried again, pushing on his chest to look him in the face. He finally relented and met her in the eyes with his. He knew immediately there was something else wrong by the way her eyes drifted back to her hands.

"Tammy..." He said, noticing she was still visibly upset. "What's wrong?" He asked, touching her face with his thumb to wash away some of the tears and raise her eyes to him. He knew he had no right to ask considering the majority of her tears were of his making. Her eyes looked down between them again and she looked to her hands to try to figure out how to say this without hurting him the way she had herself. She'd been laying here all day thinking about her feelings and how screwed up everything had become but she still did not know how to say this.

"Fulton..." She paused in contemplation. "I kissed Averman..." She whispered, not being able to meet his eyes. Fulton's face drained of blood immediately. He felt his heart clench in his chest. He was sure he had heard wrong or maybe he was dreaming. Though he knew something like this could have happened, he wasn't ready for it to actually be true.

"Can you... Can you repeat that?" He said not truly believing what he was hearing. Her eyes filled with tears again and she looked to his face. She owed him that.

"I kissed Averman this morning..." She said clearly before letting a sob escape her lips. Her hand immediately shot up to cover her mouth to hold in her emotions. She put her head down and tried to pull him against her in comfort but he pushed her way and stood from the bed quickly, beginning to pace the room. His eyes were on fire but he didn't leave. At least he didn't leave, she thought hopefully. He looked to the floor and his face showed his disbelief. She watched him silently push the bandana from his head and let his hair fall into his face. He pushed it back and gripped it tightly as he tried to think of a reasonable response to her admission. He could think of none. He wanted Averman's head on a platter and he knew Portman would help him. He was ready to march out of the room into Averman's when her voice broke into his thoughts.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." She sobbed into her palm. Looking back at her, he knew deep down that this was his fault but she would never say that. She would take all the blame and call him the victim, letting their friends hate her. He felt his chest tighten again and shook his head.

"Why?" Was the only thing that came out of his mouth. She shook her head in response, her eyes still filled with tears and her voice caught in her throat.

"I don't know... He was there and I was upset..." She tried to put the pieces together herself but they just wouldn't fall into place for her to understand exactly how it had happened or why. She put her head in her hands to cry.

"Did it mean anything?" He asked, knowing he didn't want to know the answer to that question but he needed to ask it. She hiccupped from crying so hard and shook her head again.

"I don't know... I'm so confused right now..." She said, not able to met his eyes. Picking up the clock on the night stand Fulton threw it at the wall, smashing it into pieces. Tammy jumped in surprise, watching the object fall to the floor and remain there in ruins. Fulton too watched it for a minute, hating himself even more than he did before. Looking to the broken mechanics, Fulton told himself he would not become his Father. He needed to get out of this space before he said or did something he would regret.

"I have to go..." He said low, knowing he couldn't be here anymore. She stood quickly from the bed to follow him as he grabbed his shoes and headed for the bedroom door.

"Where are you going?" She pleaded, she needed him now more than ever. He shook his head in defeat.

"Out..." Was all he said, throwing open their door and storming down the hall before she could protest any further. He didn't look back to see her fall to her knees in their door way and continue to plead with him to stay. If he had, he might have broken down then and returned to her rather than slam the door on his way out.

Averman's door remained closed but behind it the redhead stood listening to the argument from the hall. Any other time he would have been out there trying to defuse the situation but knowing that he was half to blame for it, kept him behind the door. He heard Tammy crying and he almost opened the door to comfort her but he thought better of it. He needed to let them work out their problems. If they stayed together, he wasn't going to interfere. They were his friends, he wasn't even sure how he felt for Tammy either but it wasn't something he was going to be able to talk to her about tonight, so he stepped away from the door and the crying that had been muffled by the closing door in the next room. He looked around his room to keep his mind occupied and looked to his drawing desk. Sitting in the familiar chair, his fingers rolled the pencil in between his thumb and forefinger that had been left on the tilted top. He dropped it to a blank piece of paper to start to draw and let his mind wander. Wondering if he and Tammy's friendship could survive this if Fulton never forgave her, he let the depression sink in. He'd never thought about Tammy Duncan romantically because she was always Fulton's. There was never any question who she would end up with. Resting his face against his hand, he continued to wonder just what his place was in this world, if there was one. Before he knew what he was thinking, he looked down to find a hand sketched portrait of Ashlee Banks looking back at him. He sighed heavily, tossing the pencil to the top of the desk and picking up the sheet. He still loved her, no matter how much he tried to put her out of his mind. He took one more look at the paper before he crumbled it up and threw it in the trash next to his desk. Maybe a nap would help to calm his mind, just his luck when he woke up it would be to getting his face bashed in by either bash brother - lord knows he deserved it from them.

Guy softly closed the door to Robbie's room after tucking him in for the night. Connie watched him with curious eyes as she scraped the plates from dinner and placed them in the sink. She'd do them in a few minutes after she talked to Guy. He reentered the kitchen and leaned against the counter next to her, a smile on his face as he watched her in amazement.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" He asked, happy for the first time in his life. He couldn't ask for more than his son and Connie in his life. Connie couldn't help but smile too, looking down at the floor before meeting his eyes.

"I... I wanted to talk about Robbie actually..." She said, a smile still playing on her still upturned lips. Guy shrugged.

"Okay, what about?" He asked, curious as to where this conversation could be going.

"Well with everything that has happened in the last few months, we've never really talked about any sort of custody arrangements..." She said, looking to the table to move towards it to have a seat. Guy followed, sitting across from her.

"Yeah, we haven't but it's been working out fine, hasn't it?" He asked. Connie nodded in response, motioning her agreement.

"Yeah, it has but with him in school now, I just wanted to get this all worked out." She assured him. He only nodded.

"So, joint custody?" He asked. Connie looked at him in surprise for a moment before she nodded.

"Yeah, I think that will work. That way either one of us can pick him up from school and if something were to happen to either one of us, the other would already have custody documents." She added. He looked at her again with curiosity.

"Are you okay, Connie?" He asked. Her illness the other morning was still bothering him and then for Charlie to say she was sick a few months ago too, he mind couldn't help but wonder. He looked at her suspiciously as she squirmed in her chair. She smiled at him, looking up at him from under her lashes the way she used to when she wanted something. He had to smile in return at the old look she gave him.

"Yeah, I'm great... I'm just concerned if, say I can't get to the school and you have to get him. I don't want you to have any problems." She assured him. He let the breath out he had been holding and nodded again.

"Yeah, of course. We're parents now so we have to be thinking about Robbie, right?" He said. She agreed.

"So, I'll see what we have to do without going to court. I don't want to have to go through the legal system since we're on speaking terms, you know?" She joked. He only nodded.

"What about if we're together... Wouldn't that just be one custody?" He asked. Connie's breath caught in her throat at the possibility Guy would consider them getting back together. It would make sense if, they were together, they wouldn't need any documentation for Guy to have custody of Robbie. She tried to nod through her confusion and excitement.

"Yeah, but we're not..." She said, looking for something to occupy her mind other than possible futures for them. Guy reached across the table and took her hand in his.

"Connie, I've been thinking about it a lot lately and I think we should try again. We've got Robbie now so it only makes sense." He tried to make what he was proposing not a big deal but she knew it was for both of them.

"That's exactly why we should consider this before we get back together. What if it doesn't work out again and Robbie gets his hopes up?" She asked, looking into his eyes. Guy's eyes averted to the table cloth.

"I understand this is coming out of nowhere and you need to think about it but I think our son would be happy that we tried, even if it doesn't work out." Guy assured her before he stood from the table.

"I should get home. I have to work early tomorrow since I took today off but just think about it, okay?" He said, turning to her when they reached the door. She nodded, looking up into his eyes. He smiled just slightly, looking to her pale pink lips and couldn't help himself but lean in and press his own lips to hers. The kiss was very chaste and only lasted a minute. Guy pulling back to softly place a kiss on her forehead before he left. Connie shut the door behind him and leaned against it holding in the tears she felt brimming. What was she going to do?

The cafe was relevantly empty for dinner but Julie liked it less crowded. It would have made her more nervous and jumpy if the place had been brimming with people. Adam's eyes watched her cautiously, as he brought the water glass to him lips to wet them. Julie glanced over the menu with ease before deciding that a simple salad would do, her stomach was in knots anyways. Clearing his throat, Adam brought his hand across the table to take hers where it rested against the pale cream table cloth. She smiled, intertwining her fingers with his and casually tracing his palm.

"So, not too bad, right?" He asked, looking around the cafe with interest. Her gaze followed and she admired the candle light atmosphere.

"No, very relaxing..." She tried to lie to make him feel better for trying so hard to please her. Truth be told, she wasn't sure anyone could live up to her standards anymore. He smiled at her coy attempt at making him believe she wasn't ready to run out the door. He tightened her hand in his and smiled gently.

"I know you don't believe me when I tell you that I'm right where I want to be but I am. I want to be with you." He said, watching her eyes meet his in the low light. She tried not to seem too pessimistic in her response.

"And what about when the baby comes? Are you still going to want to be with me then. With a newborn balling their eyes out at all hours of the night..." She asked, wanting to make sure he knew what he was getting himself into. Adam had to smile. He'd spend one too many nights lightly thinking about that exact thing. He may not have been this kid's biological father but he would be whatever the kid needed.

"Julie, I honestly don't care. I've been thinking about being with you for so long that I'm ready to accept all of you, including this baby." He promised, speaking from his heart for the first time. He wanted it all with her, including this child. Her eyes looked down to the floor at his omission. She wanted to believe him but there were still doubts in her mind that he would stay past the first few months.

"You don't have to be anything to the child. You can get up and leave anytime you want to." She reminded him without any emotion in her voice. She couldn't let him see how much she really wanted him to want this too. Scooter's reaction had hardened her the fact that she was in this alone. Adam stood from his chair, coming to kneel next to her and take her face in his hands.

"Julie, I'm in this for the long haul. Feedings, diaper changes, you name it, I'm there. I love you, Julie and I'll love this baby too. Just like my own." He said, touching her stomach. Her eyes filled with tears, knowing that was what she wanted most in the world. She silently wished that somehow she had saw what an amazing man Adam Banks would be 10 years before when they had first met. He looked back to her face and saw the tears forming. Quickly raising himself up to met her lips with his, he kissed her until she chuckled against his lips.

"Adam..." She softly murmured, pulling back to look at him. "I love you too..." She finally said, looking in his eyes for reassurance. He smiled brighter than she had ever seen him smile and moved his lips back to hers to seal their promise to each other. He wouldn't let anyone come between them again.


	35. Chapter 35

The bar on third and twenty-Third Street smelled of years of cigarette smoke; right down to the fabric cushions on the stools. The windows in the front hadn't been cleaned in years so the residue from all the soot collected there to create a film obscuring the occupants to the outside the world. Fulton never minded the poor conditions, he'd been coming here since he could remember and it had always smelt and looked the same way. He had been more than willing to come here despite the horrible cleaning practices when he was younger. Even before he was legally able to drink, he would come here and the bartender would still served him and never asked for an ID. Fulton sometimes wondered if the guy thought he was old enough or just didn't care, it had benefited him and a couple of the Ducks before so he wasn't about to complain. Either way, he supposed that's why he continued to come here, even now when he could go to any bar that served alcohol and not get carded. That was half his problem; he was ridiculously loyal to people and things even when they might not deserve it. Looking back on his life, he thought about how even in the darkest days of his childhood, he still found something about his Father that could have been a redeeming quality. He only realized now that his hope had been for not. His Father was unredeemable in every way and belonged just where he was, in a jail cell for the rest of his life thinking about what he had become. It had taken years before the police finally had enough evidence to put the man away for his Mother's death. The fact that he had just turned eighteen when it had happened only helped the situation and his ability to finally tell the police everything he saw that day. He didn't miss the man that didn't deserve to be called his Father, he thought with a shake of his head. He had made a vow to himself that day that he would never become his Father and what was he doing? Throwing clocks against walls and scaring the hell out of the woman he claimed to love. He shook his head again before he quietly sat at the end of the smoky bar top and signaled to the bartender that he wanted to order. The man came over, a small grin on his lips as he wiped dry a wet glass with a semi-clean towel.

"How you been? I haven't seen you in here in a while..." The older man commented with a slight laugh. Fulton looked down at the cracked laminate that his fingers rested on, absently tracing the damage and nodded his head, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, I've been busy..." He said softly before returning his eyes to the man in front of him to avoid his mind wandering to just the face that had been keeping him busy. He blocked her image before his thoughts could turn to anger from the recent events. "The usual..." Fulton mumbled as the bartender nodded and walked away to get his drink from the other end of the counter. He would not think about her tonight, he didn't want to think about any of them tonight, not even his best friend who was so sickly in love that it made him green with envy. Had he really been that bad just a few months ago? He figured it had to be true that the "honeymoon" stage had to end eventually so why not now before anything serious got started. He was lying to himself if he thought what they had wasn't serious. It had been as serious as one could get before you start talking marriage and kids. He was just as much to blame as she was if not more for their current predicament. She'd broken down his tough exterior and exposed this new mortal side of him that could be hurt with one look from her. He'd learned long ago to hide that side of himself for everyone but he could never keep her from his heart, not that he tried at all. He'd welcomed her in and handed it to her on a silver platter to do as she wanted.

"Here you go..." The bartender broke his thoughts, coming back with a whiskey based drink that he sat in front of him. The brown amber sparkled in the low lights from the glass as Fulton's eyes met it. He knew with the history of his family he should probably have not been drinking anything harder than a mixed drink but whiskey made him forget everything. That was exactly what he needed tonight. Fulton tossed some cash on the bar along with a tip to pay for the drink and nodded his head at the man before he turned away to help another customer. The first sip of the liquor running down his throat burned like the first one always did, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. He'd learn to like it again after a couple more, he thought with a few blinks of his eyes to clear the water that had collected. Her face came back to his head and he silently cursed under his breath. He'd thought about her and now he couldn't stop. It just wasn't fair, he'd waited years for her to notice him. He'd thought about her every day for as long as he could remember and suddenly some asshat comes in and ruins it all. Should he be blaming Charlie for ever letting Linda go to meet that man? Should he be blaming Averman for taking advantage of their situation when Tammy was vulnerable? He was never one to play the blame game and never would be, so the blame always fell back to him no matter the situation. He wasn't good enough or strong enough to keep her. He didn't love her enough. He could hear his father in his head now telling him what a useless piece of crap he was and for the first time in a long time, he believed the voice. The smoke from the lit cigarettes blocked his view of the other people in the bar but it seemed to clear just at the moment a girl on the other end looked up at him. Fulton immediately looked away, thinking of how he shouldn't be looking at other girls right now but he found himself turning back around to meet her gaze. If he was a jerk already why not prove everyone right? She smiled at him, her long blonde hair swaying down her back before she picked up her drink and headed towards him in the fog. Fulton tensed, he wasn't sure what he would do in this situation, so he panicked and took a large gulp of his drink to prepare himself, coughing on the after taste. The stool next to him creaked as it was turned and the blonde appeared in his eye sight. Her green eyes sparkled with a bit of intoxication as well when her lips turned up into a smile.

"Hi, I'm Rebecca. You are...?" She asked, lingering on the last question for a minute. He took in a breathe before he answered back.

"I'm Fulton..." He said, a slight nervous shrug of his shoulders. She smiled brighter at his awkwardness.

"Fulton, you here by yourself?" She asked, turning to signal the bartender for another drink. Fulton nodded absently, not sure what to say

"Yup. Alone tonight." He confirmed. She smiled a flashy white set of teeth at him and looked back at the bartender to signal for another for him as well when he gulped down another bit of his drink. he didn't want to remember if he was going to do something he would regret.

"Well, you're not anymore." She promised. Fulton took the last large gulp of his drink and prepared for the worse.

The clicking of the bedside clock read 2:35 am when Tammy looked at it for the hundredth time that night. The broken shell lay next to it on the night stand so she wasn't sure if it was right but at least it was working. _Where was he?_ She asked herself, still feeling the heaviness of her heart in her chest. She hadn't slept, she hadn't done anything but lay in their bed and cry after she'd picked up the pieces of the clock. She had done this to them and where ever he was, it was her fault. Watching the clock tick over again to 2:36 she stood from the bed they shared, her bare feet touching the hard wood floor as she exited her room. She took a survey of the apartment to make sure he hadn't snuck in when she wasn't listening before she turned and went to the second door on the right. It took a couple knocks for Dean Portman to stumble to the door and open it but when he did he looked at her with confusion marking his face. Belle sat up in the bed behind him looking at who could be waking them at this time of night and silently rubbed her eyes to focus on the woman in their doorway.

"Portman, I need your help..." Tammy's eyes filled with tears as she spoke. He had heard their argument in the hall before though he didn't know what it had been about, so he leaned against the doorway and rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand to try to wake up and listen to what she was saying to him. "I need to find Fulton, he didn't come home." Tammy said, her voice cracking with worry. Dean knew something had to be wrong if Fulton hadn't come home yet. it was the middle of the night. His eyes questioned the girl in front of him with curiosity as to what happened.

"What happened between the two of you?" He asked. Tammy looked down before looking back at Belle, who's eyes were one of confusion. She had known they were having a rough time but what could have precipitated this, she was not sure. Tammy looked back at Dean with a new found confidence in her voice to take responsibility for her actions.

"You may not want to help me after I tell you this but please, I need to find him." Tammy pleaded, narrowing Portman's eyes a little.

"Just tell me what's going on."Portman promised, crossing his arms over his chest to listen. Tammy looked to the floor with a heavy sigh before she continued with her story.

"Portman, I kissed Averman. I don't know why or if it means anything but I love Fulton and I'm really worried about him." Tammy said looking up into the eyes of Dean Portman. The sleepy look he had been giving her was now replaced with one of anger. He stood up straight up, his back going stiff, and he thought about how he could handle this situation. He could slam the door in her face and go back to bed, ignoring the situation completely, he could stomp over to Averman's room and beat the crap out of him or he could calm down and help her to find his best friend. The first option was his choice but as he turned back to close the door, he saw the mother of his child looking at him with glazed eyes from their bed. He swore under his breath to himself and turned back to the crying girl in their doorway. If he was going to be a better man, he had to start acting like it. Tammy was pouring her heart out to him and being honest which was more than he could say for himself in the past. A heavy sigh escaped his lips before he turned back to Tammy.

"Give me a minute okay, I got to get dressed." He said before closing the door to her worried eyes. Belle was in his arms a minute later, her head buried in his chest. He took in a large breath of the scent of her hair and pulled her slightly closer.

"Thank you, Dean. I know you didn't want to help her but it's not all her fault." Belle promised, her face still in his chest. Dean was shocked but regained composure to wrap an arm around her back and soothe her. "She's the only one that's been nice to me since I got here, like really nice and I know she loves Fulton." Belle tried to convince Portman. He just nodded, loosening her arms around his waist to remove them.

"Okay, I'll help her. I'm not 100% positive where he went this time. He hasn't been himself lately, you know." Portman said going to the closet to grab something to wear. Belle turned away as he began to change and for a second Portman thought of how silly it was but figured if it made her feel more comfortable then whatever. He threw on his jacket and grabbed his keys before he kissed Belle on the forehead.

"I'll be back, get some sleep while I'm gone." He said touching her stomach before he opened the door. Tammy stood there having run back to her room to get her jacket and shoes, a hopeful expression on her face. He didn't really say anything to her, just passed by her and headed for the door. Belle smiled reassuringly at Tammy before the blonde girl ran to catch up with Portman before he slammed the door in her face. His heavy boots resounded as they made their way down the stairs

The hallway was lit only slightly this late at night but Julie made it soundly up the stairs to her third floor door without falling on her face. Adam trailed behind her, gripping her hand tightly in his as if he would never let it go. A permanent smile had found itself on his lips and he wasn't ashamed to show the woman he loved just how happy he was that their date had been such a good time. Julie came to stand in front of her door before she turned towards him, bringing their hands up between them and tucking them between their chest. She took a minute to really look at his features in the moonlight from the hall window and her eyes met his. There was no need for words at this moment because the feelings that they shared were present in their eyes but Julie felt like she had to break the silence. She looked down nervously before meeting his eyes again.

"I had a really nice time, Adam. Thank you." She mumbled, not wanting to be too cliché. He only smiled wider if that was possible and nodded his head at her, looking down to their intertwined fingers.

"Me too, I almost don't want the night to end." He confessed, rubbing his fingers against her knuckles. Julie blushed slightly but the shadows of the darkened hall blocked her cheeks from Adam's eyes.

"I know, I think we should take this slow though..." She whispered. "Sleepovers will have to wait." She joked. Adam chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, definitely." He said letting go of one of her hands to touch her stomach where it curved softly outward. Julie only smiled, placing her hand over his. "I mean it, Jules. I'm in, everything, anything you need. I'm your guy." He reassured her. She only nodded, feeling the tears come to her eyes for the second time that night but she held them back.

"I'm going to hold you to that if I get some weird craving." She joked playfully.

"No, really, anything, you just call." Adam said holding in a slight chuckle at her comments.

"I will." She promised before she leaned forward to press her lips to his. Adam returned the kiss with enthusiasm and grasped the back of her neck to pull her closer. He would never get tired of kissing her, it only got better every time. Julie finally pulled back, relaxing on the heels of her feet to look back into his eyes. "Wow." Was all she said before Adam started laughing. She joined in finally feeling like a weight had been lifted off of her chest and she could finally breathe. Why hadn't she know that being with him would be so perfect. She could have had this years before but she had waited. Take her first step back, their fingers lingered together as she fumbled with the keys to open her door.

"I'll call you tomorrow, maybe we can do something after I get out of work tomorrow night?" He asked. She nodded with happiness.

"Yeah, I'd like that." She said finally getting her door open with a slight push of her shoulder. Adam reluctantly let go of her hand and leaned against the door frame when she entered. She turned back to him with a smile playing on her lips.

"Okay, so, goodnight." She mumbled, looking up into his eyes. He smiled back.

"Goodnight, Julie. Sleep well." He mumbled before turning to walk away. Julie watched him go for a second before she closed the door behind her and leaned against it. In all the time she had been with Scooter, he had never made her feel as important as Adam had made her feel in the span of a few hours. She had finally made up her mind that she was never going back. If Scooter decided he didn't want anything to do with their child than all the better because she was done waiting for him. Her heart had been mended and made whole again by Adam Banks and there was no way she was going to break his in return.

Fulton's head ached when his eyes attempted to opened to the bright sun coming in the unfamiliar window just off to the his right side. He groaned lightly, closing his eyes to the light and concentrating on the pounding of his head instead. His ear drums created a steady beat against his brain that was too much to take before he groaned out loud in frustration, holding his head with his hands. He tried opening his eyes again with the shield of his hand and the blinding light now sent a laser shock to his sockets. He closed them again and covered them with his bandana before the musical laughter of a woman caught his attention in the distance. He tried to remember the night before but his mind was coming up blank until he thought about the last thing he remembered and the bar where he had met the girl, Rebecca, he thought her name might have been. He wasn't sure. Judging from the angle the sun was hitting him, he knew he wasn't in his room. The sheets he was sleeping in smelled of a flowery scene completely different than that of Tammy's. He was definitely screwed. He now groaned for a whole different reason, trying to take a survey of his surroundings. His hand trailed down to his body and his bare chest but luckily that was the only thing bare on him. His pants were still on and even his boots were still tied to his feet so that had to be a good sign. Overcoming the pain of the sun, Fulton struggled to sit up before he felt a wave of nausea wash over him. His head fell back against the pillow and his sighed with relief before he heard the laughter again in the back of his brain. Cautiously peeking out from under the sun blocking fabric, Fulton was able to make out the girl from the night before sitting on the end of the bed looking down at him. She was dressed in sweat pants and t-shirt, much different than her clothes from the night before but at least she was dressed. He mind screamed in anguish that he probably cheated on Tammy last night and he hated himself for it.

"Good morning sleepy head..." She playfully sing-songed to him before patting his blanket covered leg. Fulton groaned, leaning his head back against the pillows again to silently berate himself.

"Where am I?" He asked, taking a deep breath in.

"My apartment. I took you home last night..." She said, looking down to inspect her nails the way Tammy used to do. Fulton's thoughts went into overdrive at the thought of his girlfriend at home probably frantic with worry.

"How long have I been here? What time is it?" He asked, now getting up quickly and ignoring the pounding wave of dizziness that over took him.

"It's morning. You've only been asleep a few hours." She confirmed watching him search the room for his shirt and jacket.

"I'm sorry, I've got to get home..." Fulton said, hoping to whatever higher power there was that he could forget the night before ever happened and beg for Tammy's forgiveness. The girl was still seated on the bed and laughed again into her palm as her eyes watched him.

"You got to get home to Tammy?" She asked playfully. Fulton stopped his search and looked up at her in confusion of her statement. How did she know about Tammy?

"How do you know that?" He asked, confusion marking his face. The girl just smiled a knowing smile.

"You just kept talking about her all night. How much you love her and at one point I think you thought I was her and kept proposing marriage to me. Either way, I couldn't sleep with you after that because it wouldn't have been right, you know..." She said, getting the first serious look on her face all morning.

"So we didn't..." He trailed off as she shook her head.

"Nope, you weren't that interested in me anyways until you thought I was her." The girl said with a frown. Obviously she wasn't used to that sort of thing as she rolled her eyes at him in annoyance. "Anyways, go home, no hard feelings." She joked handing him his jacket from the floor. Fulton nodded in appreciation before he nearly ran from her apartment to find Tammy.

Tammy sat in the back of the courtroom, her head hung low and her hands tightly gripped together on her lap. The first day of witness statements in Linda's case was about to begin and she did not feel like being here. Charlie had banged loudly on her door that morning, waking her from the two hour nap she had managed to get in after her and Portman returned home without any sign of Fulton anywhere he thought he might have gone. Tammy sighed loudly, attracting the attention of the people next to her but she didn't care. He'd probably lost the only man she's ever been in love with over some stupid mistake. Granted she wasn't in her right state of mind at the moment but from what she could tell after her many hours of thought was that she admired Averman for his dedication to his friends and she wanted that dedication to her. It hadn't been Averman at all but a need for the attention that Fulton wasn't giving her. A need for someone to want her and tell her she was beautiful. She supposed she would pack up her stuff when she got back to the apartment and head back to her parents. Her Mother would say I told you so and Tommy would want to kill Fulton but at least she wouldn't cause any more trouble to her friends. Still staring down at her hands, she didn't feel the person that came to sit next to her until they took her hand in theirs. Tammy slowly looked to the person now holding her hand tightly and realized that Gordon Bombay sat next to her, looking to the other people mulling around the courtroom in preparation of the start of the trial.

"Coach, I..." She started but he sshhed her with a wave of his hand.

"Are you sure you can do this? It's alright if you can't we can call a recess to collect your thoughts." He promised. Tammy shook her head no. She owed this to Linda. No matter how much her life had been screwed up from all this it could have been much worse had Linda not been there to help her.

"No, I need to do this. I need to have closure to this." Tammy assured him before Bombay nodded. He squeezed her hand tightly before nodding to someone behind her and getting up to go to the bench and meet Linda as she was led in. Tammy glanced behind her to find Charlie standing with his hands in his pockets. Tammy only nodded at him before he sat down next to her and waiting for everything to start. They didn't say anything at first, Charlie knew this whole thing had been hard on her and that Fulton hadn't exactly been making it easy but he was grateful she was there.

"Thank you, Tammy." His baritone voice said softly as Tammy nodded her head.

"You would do the same for anyone of us. You were there for Fulton when I wasn't." Tammy stated softly, knowing Charlie knew what she meant. He only nodded in understanding.

"We all have a time when we need each other. This just happens to be your time. I don't think I ever told you how much you all mean to me. It's not just hockey anymore, its everything, its life, its love, its..." Charlie's voice trailed off and he struggled to find the right word to describe what the Ducks all meant to him.

"Friendship..." Tammy concluded for him, knowing exactly what he was trying to say. Charlie smiled slightly.

"Its family..." He concluded. "You're more than a friend, Tammy. Every Duck is and always will be my family." He promised. Tammy couldn't find the words to speak so she just nodded, hoping like hell that Fulton felt that same way. The sound of the bailiff bringing in Linda and the voice of the man announcing the Judge's arrive had them standing but Tammy silently reached out and took Charlie's hand in hers. She could get though this as long as they stuck together.


	36. Chapter 36

Dean Portman looked curiously around the exam room of Belle's doctor's office as they waited to be seen for their 24 week appointment. His naturally curious nature had his interests peaked as to what could be hiding behind each closed cabinet door he came to. Softly opening the first one, he glanced inside to find different needles categorized into different jars by size. He wasn't the biggest fan of needles but he didn't detest them either so he moved on, watching the door shut tightly behind him. Belle sat on the examination table, a dressing gown covering her from neck to knee and watched him with questioning eyes as he moved about the room, looking in the different cabinets. She was waiting for him to find something he wouldn't like; it would serve him right for peaking in there when he wasn't supposed to. Her hand absently rubbed her stomach in a soothing manner, while her eyes followed him in his quest to find out all the doctor's office secrets.

"I don't think you're supposed to be in there..." She said casually looking down at her nails, where they rested against her stomach, a small smile of playfulness on her lips. She hadn't had her nails done since she found out she was pregnant and they were in desperate need to be trimmed and painted but that was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. The baby moving against her ribs was her first priority. Living on her own was not the tea party she had always imagined it to be but somehow living with Dean and his friends had made it better. Dean had even gotten a call this morning for a job interview, much to her delight and her Dad was still helping them when needed but Dean didn't need to know that. Her nails were not the priority anymore. _Let the damn things fall off for all I care..._ Belle thought with a shake of her head, returning her hand to her bump and looking again to the father of her child that was nose deep in the linen drawer at that moment.

"That's the point, I want to know what their hiding in there..." Portman answered, peeking his head into the next cabinet with interest before he pulled a tube of gel out. Belle smiled softly at his behavior but she wouldn't have it any other way. If she had to be stuck playing house with one man, she couldn't think of anyone she'd want to do this more with than him. Portman's eyes scanned the tube with interest before he spoke out loud of his confusion.

"What's this jelly stuff do?" He asked with interest, sounding out the words from the tube that he couldn't pronounce. Belle smiled to herself again, knowing he wouldn't like the answer she would give.

"It's for the examination…" She said with a shake of her head at his interest. Portman looked confused again down at the tube, turning it over in his hand to read the back but it wasn't like a tube you would find at the pharmacy.

"What examine?" He asked before looking back at Belle, his eyes still showing interest. She raised her eyebrow in a mocking fashion at him and cocked her head to the side before he got the point she was trying to make. He nearly threw the tube back in the cabinet and closed the door behind it with a bang. He didn't want to know anymore about what this doctor's office was hiding. Belle couldn't help but laugh out loud when the door opened to her Doctor walking in, her crispy white jacket pressed perfectly to define the curves of her shoulders. The older woman looked between the two of them and smiled a knowing smile before her eyes locked on Portman.

"This must be Dean?" She said extending her hand out to him in a welcoming hand shake. He took it with a firm shake. "I'm Dr. Robinson, Belle's doctor." She said with a smile, showing her perfectly white teeth.

"It's a pleasure." Portman said, tucking his hands back into his pockets with a slight embarrassment that she caught him snooping in the cabinets. He eyes found the cheap sterile tiles that lined the floor and remained there.

"Belle's told me so much about you." She smiled warmly to him. Portman only nodded in response, still feeling nervous and not sure how to act in front of the doctor. "I've been Belle's doctor for some time now, so it was quite the surprise when she told me she wanted to have a pregnancy test." She joked softly. Putting her clipboard down on the counter to take off her stethoscope, she refocused her attention on her patient. "How are you feeling today?" She asked of Belle. Belle nodded softly, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Her face was still slightly red from the laughter but she did not try to hide it.

"Great, better than I had been feeling. I think the morning sickness is finally gone." She confirmed with a slight nod, meeting her doctor's eyes.

"That's good, that means we've passed the half way mark." The doctor smiled with encouragement, patting Belle's arm. Belle smiled back, allowing the doctor to listen to her heart rate. The room was silent for a minute as she listened before she smiled again.

"Sounds good. I want to do an exam and see how the baby is doing then I'll do an ultrasound, so we can get a look at that baby." Belle's eyes lit up at the thought of her child, she had wanted to get a really good ultrasound, the ones in the hospital had been grainy and Dean hadn't been able to be there with her. She had been waiting to see her baby for far too long and share the experience with him. Her eyes looked to Portman who looked equally excited at the idea and reached out her hand for him to come closer for a minute. He took it and kissed her knuckles. It was the closest they'd come to kissing in a while. Since that day of the cruise and his declaration he wanted her to be with him. She softly wondered if he still felt the same. Even if it was just an animalistic urge, to be wanted by him would feel good. The thought of Todd entered her mind for a minute but somehow she knew she would never be going back to him after this was all over. She knew Portman cared for her, at least by him not taking her Father's money for the deal but did he love her? Belle had to look down rather than think about it right now.

"How's everything else been?" The doctor's voice cut into her thoughts. Belle tried to smile but it came out looking more like a grimace.

"Fine, we've been living on our own but things are fine." Belle shook her head with vigor. The doctor nodded back, knowingly conveying that she knew what she meant.

"Good, coming into the second trimester thing are going to start to get better. The morning sickness, you said was already starting to go away. Your breasts should start to feel better, I know we talked in the last appointment about the achiness and things should be returning to a norm. You will have some different urges though, like food cravings..." The doctor smiled looking to Portman. "Be ready to run in the middle of the night..." She playfully joked, putting on her gloves. Portman and Belle both laughed with ease, sharing a glance. "Also, you'll start to feel better and your hormones will start to come into play. I know the guy's favorite part of the pregnancy, when the sexual urges kick in..." The doctor said, turning away to set up her equipment on the counter for the exam. Portman's face turned white at the thought of something more with Belle. They'd only ever shared one night but it was one he couldn't seem to forget lately. Belle couldn't meet his eyes to confirm that she was already feeling those urges but just hadn't said anything. The room was silent as Belle and Dean tried not to meet each other's eyes, while they waited for the doctor. She soon finished making the preparations for the exam and turned to the awkward couple.

"Okay, if I could have you lay back, Belle. We'll start the exam." She said, as if nothing was out of place in the room. Belle did as she was told, staring at the ceiling instead of at Portman and waited for the exam to begin. At least she'd get to see her baby in a few minutes.

Tammy Duncan's legs were tired when she finally made it to the landing of the third floor. She sighed with both exhaustion and defeat. Her testimony had gone flawless, much like her Olympic performance but the reliving of the day this nightmare had begun had just reminded her how worthless she was to Fulton. She would be forever scarred from that day. The scratches on her chest proved that but more than even that day, she had allowed Fulton's disgust to turn into her own. She no longer looked at her body the same. She turned away from mirrors and reflections with ease now. Wrapping her sweater tighter around herself, she retrieved her keys the pocket of her sweater to open the door in front of her. She had taken Charlie's car home from the court house, Coach Bombay had said he would dropped him off after the trial today as to not make her wait around. Her part was done and she couldn't be more relieved that the DA had gone somewhat easy on her. She guessed that she really had looked like the trauma she had gone through had ruined her live. It had and if that jerk Tyler wasn't dead, she was sure she could kill him on the spot with her bare hands. It had been years since she had driven a car, Tammy thought, trying to calm her thoughts of anger. Her Father had taught her like any Father would, the day she turned sixteen she had went to get her permit and had driven home. She had taken her test shortly after but hadn't touched a car since. There had been no need when everyone just drove her around. It was actually a pretty powerful feeling to be behind the wheel again, she'd forgotten what it felt like to be able to go wherever she wanted. The door to the apartment opened with a creak of the wood, once she's managed to unlock the deadbolts Averman had installed and she entered, turning to latch the door behind her. It had become habit to lock doors behind herself since the incident. The lock slid smoothly shut with a clunk and she turned to find a distressed looking Fulton staring back at her from his spot on the couch. He looked up from his hands that had been cupped to cover his face and saw just the girl he had been waiting for entering into the front door. Tammy's face remained unchanged as she threw the keys on the stand next to the door, her eyes trailing down to the covered stain on the floor before she stepped over it and quietly into the living room.

"I've been waiting for you to get home." He whispered, still seated on the couch away from her, his eyes gentle and pleading with her. Tammy wrapped her arms tighter around herself and looked to the floor again. For as much as she knew that she didn't deserve the man in front of her, she knew she was pissed that he had made the decision for her. Anger was a new emotion for Tammy so she struggled to deal with it the way she envisioned she was supposed to.

"I had Linda's trial this morning." She said softly, a hint of the anger seeping through. Her arms remained uncrossing her arms from her body in a defense position. Fulton stood from his spot on the couch to come around to her at the thought of her going through that alone but she held out her hand.

"Tammy, I forgot... I'm sorry..." He tried to explain but she didn't want to hear it.

"Just... don't." Tammy whispered, feeling the tears come to her eyes once again. The difference was, this time they were angry tears. She had spent all night worrying about where he was and if he was even alive and he just shows up here like everything was alright again. She felt her temper rise to an all time high for the first time in a long time. "Where were you last night?" She asked, thinking better of it a moment later. Maybe she didn't want to know. Fulton's eyes lowered to the floor, while hers remained locked on him.

"Tammy... I went to this local bar to have a few drinks and there was this girl there..." He started before she closed her eyes to his words and held up her hand again to make the pain stop. She knew something like this would have happened and it was all her fault. She could feel it when she didn't find him last night when she went out with Portman and he never came home. A few tears escaped her tightly closed lids before she looked to him again with a heavily in take of breath to calm her voice.

"Did you sleep with her?" Her voice shook with anger and she thought she knew the answer already but she needed to hear it from his mouth to make it real. Fulton hesitated, wondering if she would believe his response but he had to try.

"No, I couldn't..." He faltered on his words. "I wanted you..." He admitted with as much reverence as he could muster. His memories of the night before were coming back slowly and foggy but everything the girl had said was true. He had talked about Tammy to her while he drank at the bar and then thought she was Tammy as they made their way back to her place before she turned away and he passed out on her bed. He had a feeling he would have passed out before they could have done anything anyway but he knew he hadn't slept with the girl from the bar, that fact he was sure of. Tammy's eyes met his from across the room as she searched for confirmation he was telling the truth. She wanted to believe him more than anything in the world but her mind wouldn't seem to stop thinking but horrible things.

"You didn't?" She questioned, her eyes pleading with him to make her believe him. Fulton shook his head no, taking another step closer to her.

"No, I couldn't." He whispered, trying to reach out for her. Tammy's eyes welled up again and she gripped her sweater against her chest to close it over the scars before she let out a sob. "But you would have?" She questioned with short breathes, making him stop in his tracks. Fulton sighed deeply, not sure of the answer himself, she had a way of always making him question himself. He would have liked to think that he would have stopped them from going that far but he couldn't be positive of that due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed. His silence was the only answer Tammy needed as she moved from the doorway and down the hall to their room. She knew what she had to do now. The answer was more than clear but she knew it was going to hurt like no pain she'd even know before so the sooner she did, the sooner she could move on.

"Tammy..." He followed closely behind as she entered their room and pulled her suitcase from the closet. He knew what she was doing and she had every right to after everything that he had done or in most cases not done but he couldn't let her leave like this. He needed her to understand. He needed to make this somehow right.

"Tammy, please, just hear me out..." He begged, coming to stop her as she opened the dresser drawers he had cleaned out for her clothes to go in. He blocked her hands from opening the door and put his body in between her and the piece of furniture. She tried to go around him but he blocked her, holding her hands to her sides.

"Fulton..." She said with annoyance.

"Please, Tammy. I love you, just hear me out and then if you want to go then I won't stop you." He promised. Tammy still continued to look at the floor but she backed away from the dresser and his hands and crossed her arms over her chest again.

"What is it that you want to say?" She asked, not looking at in his eyes. Fulton sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair before he spoke.

"Tammy, I love you..." He started when she looked up at him, new anger in her eyes.

"If you loved me, how could you think about sleeping with her?!" Tammy was not an angry person but she felt her anger boiling at the thought of Fulton with anyone but herself. She hadn't ever faced jealousy before but she didn't like the way it felt. "How could you treat me the way you have been?!" Her voice raised another octave. Fulton equally felt his anger at the situation begin to heat up on his skin at the accusation that this was completely his fault.

"How could you kiss Averman?!" He yelled back. Tammy looked to the floor, unable to answer for a minute. she knew what she had done was equally as wrong. Maybe she did start this, maybe it was all her fault but it had started with his inability to see her anymore. He just acted like she wasn't there half the time.

"You know what? I did. I kissed Averman because I wanted to feel like I was loved. Like I mattered! I might as well have died that day! You don't even see me anymore! You made me hate myself! I'm never going to be the same Tammy I was!" She yelled, the tears coming to her eyes. Angry tears felt so much more relieving than the helpless tears she had been shedding lately.

"Tammy, I..." He started again but she cut him off.

"No! I'm sick of feeling like I'm a freak! This is me from now on!" She yelled, ripping her sweater from her body before going for the dress shirt she had under it. The buttons flew in all different directions as they popped under her strength and flew across the floor, rolling against the hardwood before resting against the molding. The blouse fell to the floor behind her legs on top of the sweater and Tammy couldn't bare to look down at her chest but she wanted Fulton to look at her.

"Look at me! I mean really look!" She yelled, throwing her arms out to the sides."Do you see me now?!" She yelled. Fulton's eyes, already misted over with tears, travelled from her face to the scar that lined her chest. The angry red mark had faded from the last time he had seen it in the mirror of their room but it still seemed to not fit into her perfect skin. The porcelain that surrounded it was just as flawless had it had ever been and her white lace bra covered just enough for Fulton to blush slightly at the sight. "This is me, Fulton. Forever!" She screamed, her chest breathing heavy as she showed herself to him. She was baring her soul for him to see. "This is me... These scars are mine to bare and I have to look at them every day for the rest of my life." She whispered one last time before her hands feel to her sides with exhaustion and she let out a sob of defeat. "You know what hurts more than looking at these scars every day? Is knowing that you don't want me anymore. That you think I'm just as ugly as these scars." She sobbed softly, burying her face in her hands. Fulton was broken by the sight and without thinking he stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms. She resisted his embrace for only a minute before her arms came up to wrap under his and around his waist. "Just tell me that's how you feel and I'll go. I'll leave and you won't have to see me again." She whispered into his chest. Fulton shook his head against hers.

"No, Tammy... You're beautiful..." He whispered into her ear. She hiccupped a response into his shoulder. "You're beautiful..." He whispered again, kissing her neck softly. The feelings on her pulse point were lit on fire by his touch. Even the smallest graze of his lips on her skin brought back the memories of them. This was all she'd wanted from him the past few weeks and it had taken her nearly leaving him to get him to see.

"Fulton?" She questioned, turning to look into his eyes, the anger leaving hers for something else entirely. He didn't bother to respond to her questioning eyes but to capture her lips with his.

"Tammy, just let me show you how beautiful I think you are..." He whispered in between kisses to her face and neck, gripping her neck in his hand to pull her closer. Tammy closed her eyes to the feeling of his lips on hers. She reached for his other hand that held her shoulder blade and pulled it to her chest to put his hand on her scar. Resting his hand just under the edge of her bra where the scar ended, she held her hand over his so they could both accept that this was her body now. He pulled back for a moment, resting their heads together and watched his fingers graze the raised skin with a slight movement of his hand.

"I've got scars too, Tammy. You just can't see them." He whispered, feeling the tears still on his eye lids. She just nodded in response, looking from her scar to his eyes again. Her eyes tried to show what she was feeling.

"Maybe we can help each other heal..." She whispered softly before they kissed again. This kiss was so much different than the kisses they had shared in the past. It felt forgiving and it felt like an ending.

The hallway was silent as Guy moved swiftly up the stairs towards his apartment. Reaching the second landing, he knew that it was still a hour or so before Robbie would be getting home from school but the questions he had left Connie with the night before were weighing on his mind. He thought of an excuse for him stopping but none came to mind. It seemed to him that Connie had been keeping him at a distance and most of the conversations they had were about or involving Robbie. Looking down the hall at her closed door, Guy couldn't help but turn to approach the door if only to stare at it for a moment before continuing to his own apartment. He only had a little while before he had to be at the diner, so he really should have been running upstairs to shower and change but a certain brunette was on his mind. His hand raised quickly to knock on the door before he could change his mind and think better of it and he stepped nervously from foot to foot as he waited for an answer. listening for an sound from the other side of the door, he heard none. Maybe she wasn't home yet, he knew she was trying to pick up more hours at the club to make up for what she wasn't making in tips anymore. He sighed heavily in defeat before moving away from the door and heading up the stairs. Behind him, the door creaked open softly as brown eyes watched his retreating form. She felt like her insides were being ripped out and truthfully, she had been semi sleeping on the couch when he had knocked. She wasn't trying to avoid him but in some ways she guessed she was. She didn't have an answer for him nor could she face his promises of a future when she knew there was a chance she might not have one. Sighing heavily, she shut the door and returned to the couch. Just a few more minutes sleep and she would feel well enough to make it down the stairs to get Robbie off the bus and hopefully miss Guy on his way to the diner.

The car rumbled loudly down the road leaving the doctor's office as Belle Montgomery sat with the first photo she would ever have on her baby carefully placed on her lap. Her eyes hadn't been able to leave the photo since it was printed out. Her beautiful baby girl was forever immortalized in a photo that she was going to frame the first chance she got. Her mind wandered to the man driving the vehicle from the seat next to her and how his eyes had lit up when the doctor had congratulated them on a daughter. She knew that the minute Dean got to meet their daughter he would be wrapped around her finger. The thought sent a warm glow to her chest when she looked up to meet his eyes looking back at her. They were lucky stopped at a red light but the intensity of his stare nearly melted her heart. It was in that moment that Belle knew, she was forever and un-apologetically in love with Dean Portman. He and this baby were her family and she would fight to hold on to them, no matter what it took.

_**Aww, Dean and Belle are having a girl!:) **_

_**I am so so sorry for the lack of updates when you guys are doing your part and reviewing. My brother has been in a out of the hospital the passed few weeks. I'm not going to go into details but he just really needed me and my family so that and my job have been my main concerns and focuses. Hopefully, things will start to get better soon, I pretty much have this story complete, it's the other one, Let Me Be Your Hero that I am still writing, so sorry to the fans of that story for the lack of update, I will try to work on it today, I know I promised last weekend but it just didn't happen. I make no promises on the next update as I'm just going with what ever happens in my personal life but I will do my best to get another chapter out shortly based on the reviews. Thank you so much for the reviews from last chapter and the I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter. Until next time:) ~PrincessH~**_


	37. Chapter 37

The court room was beginning to fill back up after the short lunch break that the judge had ordered everyone to take. Tempers were high after a heated testimony from the chief of Police in which Bombay had grilled him into admitting that he didn't even attempt to follow up on Linda's report of the rape weeks earlier. He had simply chalked it up to a fight between couples after seeing the scratch marks on Tyler's face the next afternoon at a meeting. Charlie could still hear the cops sitting in the back of the courthouse mumbling threats under their breath about his step Father and even himself. He tried to ignore them as best he could as he silently waited for the trial to resume. He hadn't eaten all day, his stomach reminded him with a loud grumble of protest but food would have to wait. Charlie shifted uncomfortably on the bench, trying to muffle the groan with his hands. He rather would have got his testimony over and out of the way like Tammy had that morning and not been stuck waiting for everyone to return and left to think about all that had happened. He didn't want to think about all those days he spent with Linda, locked up in his room away from the world just watching her slowly lose her mind and him being helpless to do anything about it. It was a new feeling for him to be completely useless. He had always had a purpose. He had always been the leader, the one everyone turned to but this was one situation he didn't have the resolution to. He couldn't triple deac his way out of this one. Softly resting his head in his hands he waited for the gravel to signal that it was time to restart the trial. The doors shutting behind him caused him to turn to look at the armed guards closing the court room to the mass of reporters that were swarming outside, their cameras flashing inappropriately on the courtroom while their counterparts yelled questions over one another. Charlie turned back to see Linda and Bombay entering from the side room. She tried to smile softly at him but it looked more like a grimace before she sat in her chair to face the judge. Watching her soft brown hair fall against her shoulders; Charlie tried to remember the good times. The times when they'd both been so happy and the only obstacles they were faced with was themselves. He had never longed for high school but in that moment he did. He wanted a do over, he wanted to try again and make things different for them. This time, promising himself that he wouldn't let her go ever again. He wouldn't let her walk out of his life the way he had before. Linda's eyes glanced back at him, almost knowing he was thinking about her before she stood with the bailiff's instructions. Her eyes telling him the same thing he was feeling. He would get them out of this, if it was the last thing he did, he would fight until the end.

Adam's hand softly reached out to the shoulder of his sister's weeping form from the other end of the couch. He had never been good at crying girls, even Julie was a challenge for him when her hormones got the best of her. The worst part was that he didn't even know what she was crying about this time. He could assume it had something to do with Portman but she hadn't said that. She'd been waiting at the door when he arrived home from the cafe earlier, clinging to a stack of drawing he'd never seen before. Ashlee softly mumbled, "I was such an idiot..." while he led her into the living room. That had been almost 20 minutes ago and she had yet to let up. Adam's main job as a big brother was to always protect Ashlee, to always shield her from the bad stuff in the world. It had worked for a while until Dean Portman had come into her life. Somehow, Adam wasn't convinced this had anything to do with him though. Glancing quickly down at the pages and pages of unbelievably good sketches, Adam wondered who had done all this work. He could clearly see that his Sister seemed to be the star of each one of the new frames, whether she was fighting villains or studying school work. Adam's fingers grazed over the pencil before looking back at Ashlee with questioning eyes.

"Ash, are these what's making you upset? Is someone stalking you?" He asked. Ashlee mumbled incoherently before shaking her head negatively and putting her face into her hands. Adam sighed, resting his hand on the back of her head as she cried again. This was getting him nowhere fast, he thought with a grumble. Maybe he should get one of the girls, Tammy might be home or Julie could talk to her. He was a second away from standing from the couch to go retrieve one of them when she said the first thing he'd understood all day.

"He's in love with me..." She whispered softly. Adam had heard her words clearly but was slightly confused as to why his sister was balling her eyes out over a man, not the likes of Dean Portman, being in love with her. He forced her to sit up and look at him, placing a reassuring hand on her face.

"Who's in love with you?" He asked gently. Ashlee didn't really answer, just simply looked down at the pages in front of her and the hard work that Averman had put in to each and every drawing.

"Adam, I'm such an idiot. He was in love with me the whole time and I treated him like dirt." She cried, reaching for the page closest to her to grip it in her hand. Adam watched the caring way she held the pages in her palms to look at the work.

"So we're not talking about Dean, I assume?" Adam asked before Ashlee's eyes shot up to look at him. She shook her head adamantly, a small smile on her lips well tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Dean could barely write his own name, do you think he could create something as wonderful as these?" Ashlee asked, again admiring the work with appreciation. Adam laughed as well before picking up a page for himself to look at.

"I just don't know what to do; I didn't know how he felt. I should have and I still don't know how I feel, I just know I owe him something. A chance at being together, maybe?" She tried to think of how to fix this but she was unsure of what to do. Adam shook his head slightly, placing the drawing back into the pile before taking his sister's hand in his own.

"Ash, you've been through so much this past few weeks, I don't want you jumping into something else on a rebound or because you think you owe this guy some debt..." Ashlee was about to protest when Adam silenced her with an index finger. "Ash, I know you want to find someone and you want it to work out but just, take some time and figure out what it is you really want before you make any decisions..." Adam asked. Ashlee looked down again before nodded. She had been thinking about it for a while before Averman had dropped this bomb shell in her lap.

"Dad pulled some strings and got me into one of the business programs at NYU. He thought a transfer would be good for me. A new city and a new start. I've been putting off giving him an answer but I guess it would be a fresh start for me." She thought with a soft shake of her head. Adam silently agreed, pulling her into a hug.

"I love you, Ash. I only want what's best for you." He promised. She smiled again, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"I love you too, Adam." She whispered into his chest. They stayed in that embrace for a moment longer before Ashlee pulled away to collect her drawings and return home to pack. She stood slowly, walking to the hall and looking longingly at the closed door that belonged to him. She wondered if he was home and just ignoring her or if he was at the diner, working to make the money he could be making selling these comics. She sighed as Adam came up next to her and opened the door to let her out. She hugged Adam one last time before turning to leave just as Dean and Belle were walking up the stairs. Her skin froze in shock for a moment watching them as they carried a pack and play up the stairs together, laughing like idiots. She never had that with him. She was sex or lies to him. It was in that moment that Ashlee Banks forgave Dean Portman. She would never have what they had and it was alright, she just needed to find that with the one she was meant to be with. She felt her skin return to normal and turned to Adam as his face was heating up with anger at their sudden arrival.

"Don't just stand there, Adam. She's pregnant..." Ashlee blurted out once Dean and Belle had made it to the top of the stairs. Adam was shocked out of his anger before rushing forward to take Belle's end from her. Belle immediately backed away, thinking there was going to be another fight but instead he simply took the end of the collapsible crib and lifted it over the banister and into the apartment. Dean was slightly confused too, once he saw Ashlee holding the door open for them. He hoped he wasn't about to get wacked in the head once he set the piece of furniture down. Belle entered behind them, her playful mood gone as she gripped her swollen belly in protection. Ashlee waited for her to enter before she said her goodbyes to Adam and left through the open door. Belle and Dean just looked at each other before Adam shut the door and nodded once at them before going to his room to get ready for his date with Julie in a little while. Belle walked silently over to Dean before looking towards Adam's closed door.

"What was that?" She asked, slightly confused. Portman just shook his head.

"I don't know but I say we find cover before one of them comes back..." He said quickly pushing the crib into their room and closing the door.

Tammy's eyelashes fluttered open from sleep, a new found calmness behind them as she watched the setting sun outside their window for the last time. She blinked closed her eyelids before realizing the strong arms wrapped around her weren't a dream she had been having. Her hands softly brushed over the rough skin of his forearms, engraining to memory every inch of his body as it touched hers. His reaction was to tighten his grip around her naked stomach and pull her closer to his bare chest to keep her there for as long as possible. He knew he'd have to let her go eventually but he didn't want to yet. His mind raced to their last conversation before they had been too caught up in getting each other undressed to form a full sentence. Fulton's lips found her shoulder without much struggle and placed soft kisses against her skin to fully wake her from her slumber. Tammy smiled, a sad smile, enjoying the few moments she had left with him. She'd realized shortly after he'd fallen asleep hours earlier that she needed to let him move on. They'd both made mistakes that would haunt them forever but at least they wouldn't be reminded of them daily. If they ended now, on a good note then at least she'd be able to look back and smile on what they were. Maybe her Mother had been right on some level, that she wasn't ready for this kind of relationship or maybe she didn't have the experience to make it work. Being apart would surely give her the answers she needed on if they were supposed to be together. She didn't expect Fulton to come running after her like a knight in shining armor but at least she'd find out if she could live without him. Fulton continued his series of kisses across her shoulder and down her arm before he rolled her over on her back to look at him. Tammy's bare chest lay in front of him but he didn't look away. His fingers grazed the mark with love instead of anger and he dipped his head to softly kiss away the reason the mark was even there. Tammy closed her eyes to his touch, softly running her fingers through his hair like she knew he liked. His mouth continued up her throat and to her lips before he wrapped his arms around her and pressed their bodies together once more. Tammy kissed him softly before he looked down upon her in the soft glows of the disappearing sun. He knew this was the last time he would look at her this way, they would never have this exact moment again but somewhere deep down he hoped this wasn't the end for them. Tammy smiled at him, silent tears collecting in the corners of her eyes as she reached for his face once more to bring his lips to hers. She kissed him with everything in her before trailing her lips to his ear, feeling the first of many tears to fall.

"I love you, Fulton Reed. Forever and always..." She whispered softly before kissing his cheek once last time. He closed his eyes to her words but felt her body slip out from under his. The bed felt suddenly cold, his skin turning to bumps before he opened his eyes to the empty pillow below him. He pulled it tight against his chest as he heard her packing her bags and putting her clothes back on. He couldn't watch. He knew he'd promised not to protest and not to beg her to stay and he was a man of his word. Her eyes were dripping silently as she pulled on the first clothes she found, shoving all the rest into her suitcase without bothering to fold any of them. She left all her stuff in the bathroom, she'd just buy new when she got where ever it was she was going. Looking back to his form, turned away from her on the bed they once shared, Tammy's eyes filled with tears. She knew she had asked him not to stop her and he wouldn't but she wished he would. She wished he'd get up from that bed and yell at her, call her names, make it easier for her to walk out the door without any regrets but he wouldn't. He loved her too much. She finished packing quickly, not bothering to say a word before she left the room quickly. Fulton heard the door shut behind her and closed his eyes to the world, letting one single tear slid from his closed eyes.

The playful mood had returned for Belle and Portman as they tried to put together the baby swing they had also purchased that day when they stopped at the local babies r us. Portman pretended he knew what he was doing and in typical man style had not followed the directions as all. The swing was almost together but now sat with the right side closer to the ground than the left. Belle laughed silently behind the direction booklet from where she sat on their bed. Portman grumbled slightly under his breath before looking over at the Mother of his child with playfulness.

"You think this is funny, do you?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Belle tried to respond with a shake of her head but couldn't find the words before Portman tackled her and pinned her hands above her head.

"I'd like to see you try..." He said with that goofy grin on his face. Belle smiled slightly,

"At least I would use the directions provided..." She back talked with a giggle, looking the directions gripped in one of her hands. Portman took both her hands in one of his and began to tickle her senselessly when her face turned to one of surprise.

"What, what did I do?" He asked, sitting up quick to give her space. Belle just smiled, taking his hand to place it on her swollen stomach where she'd felt the last one. Not to be one to disappoint, the baby kicked again, right into Portman's palm. He nearly fell off the bed at the pressure he had felt pushing back at him. He'd never felt anything like it before in his life and quickly put his hand back again to see if it would do it again. Belle smiled up at him, watching his astonished face when he felt the baby kick again.

"She's a strong one..." She commented softly, happy he had been here to share in this with her. Portman nodded slightly,

"She's got good genes..." He responded back, not looking in her eyes for fear of ruining the moment. Belle smiled and moved his hand once the baby stopped kicking. She sat up with a clear of her throat and handed Dean the directions.

"Here, this might help." She said awkwardly, handing him the piece of paper. He took it and looked down at the photos while he thought of something to say. He wanted to say the right thing for this situation but didn't know what that would be. His fingers grazed the pages for a moment before he quickly reached up with his right hand and pulled her face towards his to kiss her. They'd only kissed a few times before and they'd agreed it couldn't mean anything since this would all be over in a couple months anyway but this kiss felt different. It was spontaneous and passionate. It was everything Belle had remembered a kiss with him felt like. She gripped his face with both her hands, unwilling to let him go until the need for air over ruled her senses. He pulled back; slightly shocked she had pulled him closer and for so long. Her eyes immediately looked down to the ground in embarrassment before she let him go and turned away. Her lips were swollen and red, making Dean immediately think of other things he'd like to do with her. Her face was flushed and pink as she placed a hand to her cheek to cover her obvious embarrassment.

"Why'd you stop?" Portman asked softly, taking her hand in his. Belle looked up at him with wide eyes.

"It's all just a lie, right? Sooner or later all this has to end and we'll go back to our old lives..." She mumbled, rubbing against her lips. Portman shook his head slightly,

"There's no going back for me. I'm not going back to who I was." He mumbled, tracing her hand with his fingertips. Belle watched him for a moment. "Do you want it to end?" Portman asked, looking into her eyes. Belle was caught off guard by his questions and couldn't find the words. Of course she didn't want it to end, she wanted this, whether they were living in a one room shack, she would always want this over anything else. She thought she must have conveyed something with her eyes because the next thing she knew, his lips were on hers again. This time she didn't push him away.

The park was lit up for the annual fall festival. The vendors selling fried dough and popcorn to the people passing by with happy smiles on their faces. Julie watched the people pass by as she sat next to the greatest man in the world and sipped on her hot chocolate. Adam's arm was casually thrown over her shoulder as he kissed her ear and whispered to her about what they were going to do in the future. The white picket fence, the swing set in the back yard. He wanted it all and she did too. It didn't matter anymore that this baby wasn't his, in his mind, it was. Julie smiled to herself, holding his hand close as the baby wiggled in her stomach. Life could not get better in that moment. Adam smiled to himself, kissing the shell of her ear before smelling her hair lightly and turning to watching the people around them. He had no idea how much he had been missing by allowing his Father to run his life. Maybe he could have had this all along. None of that matter now, because he had everything he wanted right here. The world was right in Adam Banks' mind. Their giggling was cut short by Julie's sharp intake of breathe. Adam immediately tensed up.

"What is it? Is it the baby?" He asked, touching her stomach. Julie didn't respond so Adam followed her eye line to where she had been looking. Approaching from the lake were two people Adam did not want to see right now. He was sure Julie felt the same way when she finally looked away. Rick Riley and Scooter approached with large grins on their face, a girl on each of their arms. Julie tried to fight the hurt she felt at seeing Scooter with someone else but her eyes began to burn.

"What do we have here?" Rick taunted, glancing back at Scooter. Scooter nodded with a grin but when Rick turned around, his face immediately fell. "Congratulations Banksie, finally knocking up the Prom Queen..." Adam stood to shut him up but Julie held unto his arm,

"He's not worth it..." She whispered, standing beside him. Adam immediately calmed as Rick and Scooter laughed.

"Don't talk about Julie that way..." Adam threatened. Rick taunted him again,

"I'm shaking with fear..." He laughed again. "Besides, it didn't take long for her to find someone else's bed after Scooter kicked her out..." Rick laughed. Julie tightened her fisted, obviously Scooter had been covering his tracks and telling his friends a different way their break up went down then what had actually happened. She supposed she didn't blame him, who would really want anyone to know the way he truly had acted.

"Come on, let's go..." Julie urged, pulling Adam in the opposite direction. Rick just laughed at the couple before he opened his mouth again.

"It's alright as long as Adam knows what a whore he's got mothering his children..." Rick had finally done it. Julie stopped quick and turned, punching Rick in his big fat mouth. Rick didn't have time to react and fell to his back on the pavement. The angry tears streaming down Julie's face blurred her vision but she could see Rick adjusting his jaw after her punch.

"Why don't you ask your boy here what really happened, instead of sounding like an idiot with every word that comes out of your mouth." Julie said before storming off passed Adam. Scooter looked shocked before bending to help Rick up. Adam followed Julie quickly out of the park before catching up to her just before the street entrance.

"Jules, wait!" Adam called out, gripping her upper arm and turning her towards him. She buried her face in his jacket to not let him see her cry over that idiot. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, rocking her to a silent beat only he could hear. Julie quickly recomposed herself before looking up at Adam's caring face.

"I'm sorry, he just got me so mad with his lies." Adam cut Julie off with a soft kiss and smile that made her smile.

"That was awesome, Jules..." He whispered with a chuckle. She smiled again.

"I think I hurt my hand..." She mumbled as he brought her hand up to his lips to kiss it.

"All better..." He mumbled, tucking her hands against his chest to warm them. "Besides not all of what he said was a lie..." Adam mumbled. Julie looked up at him shocked that he would think such things of her before he smiled.

"That baby is mine and yours. No one else..." Adam whispered. Julie's face lit up once more before she kissed him heatedly on the lips. When they parted Adam, touched her face with his gloved hand. "I love you, Julie. I mean it, I'm in for everything." Julie nodded once.

"I'm ready to get out of here if you are... I'm thinking maybe breakfast in bed?" She asked a slight hint of things to come. Adam smiled coyly at her before hailing a cab to go back to the apartment. He didn't care if they just spent the night holding each other; to just be with her was the best part of any day.

_Hi everyone! Thank you for all the reviews in my absence. It's been a rough few months but things are finally turning around. I am now 17 weeks pregnant with my first child, it was a total surprise to me and my husband and I'm happy to report that my Brother is doing much better, he's working his way back from the dark place he was in and I see more and more of my kid brother as new day passes. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I will be working to update again soon and hopefully be able to get this story finished before the baby arrives:) Please check this and my other stories for updates, until then, hopefully I'll get to her what you guys think through the reviews and PM's. Thank you so much for your continued support:)_


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